The All Devouring Slayer's Flame
by Aniimeziing
Summary: Tenrou never fell. Acnolgia left it for the promise of a great battle and so for 4 years, Natsu set off from his home to train. However, only a year in he learns to use God Slaying Fire before going on to obtain the ability to use Devil Slaying Magic. With it, he will undo a curse that has plagued the land for years. He is the All Slayer... and he will kill a God. NatsuxHarem
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everybody and welcome to a new story called the All Devouring Slayer's Flame. This is another Fairy Tail story but this is my own idea that I don't believe I have seen anyone do before but I have seen people talk about one part of this idea on Reddit and its actually what inspired me to make this idea.**

 **Pretty much, it talks about how Natsu ate Laxus' Lightning one and a half years before he used on Tenrou Island and guess what else happened on that island? Natsu ate God Slaying Fire. Now I know that it does sound a bit far fetched but the theory talks about how that if Natsu could make his body use the Lightning then maybe his body could adapt to the God Slaying magic as well (In my opinion it might be strengthened by the fact that he is E.N.D but hey, personal theory thing) and that he would become the Fire God Dragon Slayer!**

 **However, what if that went one step further?**

 **What if this theory held strong and Natsu became this... alongside eating Fire Devil Slayer flames? If this was even possible, he would become a Demonic Dragon God Slayer and that is just so damn COOL TO ME! It is just so epic and so awesome and every word for amazing that I know and so, I came up with this idea.**

 **This will be a harem fic so just say people in the comments and I will put those people in a poll next chapter or stuff so... yeah. If that doesn't happen, I already do have a pre-existing list but hey, writers hope I guess. I don't really mind though.**

 **So, the basic premise is that Natsu, after the battle at Tenrou goes on a 4 year training spree. In this scenario, Acnolgia does not destroy the Island but instead pose a threat to Natsu that he doesn't even know if it will happen. During this 4 year training spree, he will learn to control the God Slaying Fire that he received from Zancrow before Acnolgia attacked at Tenrou before going out to seek the Fire Devil Fire and consuming that to become the All Slayer, or Demonic Dragon God Slayer. During this time, he learns more about his dark past and about his connection to the mysterious figure Zeref as his brother and about his own abilities as E.N.D which will be bought to light. After learning that not only Zeref, but Mavis have both been under the cuse of Ankhseram for over 400 years makes Natsu vow to free his 'siblings' from their curse while protecting his Guild and his friends from threats unkown.**

 **He is Natsu Dragneel, the All Slayer and his new goal? To kill a God.**

 **Enjoy chapter 1.**

* * *

A scowl that could set the earth a flame licked across the world.

A furrowed brow sat above onyx eyes burned heavily as they gazed across the serene landscape, which was completely the opposite of the owner's mind at the current time. Inside his skull, it was just a blazing inferno that quietly consumed him in sorrow and guilt and danced around the walls like an exotic dancer.

Natsu Dragneel felt like failure.

He had collapsed in grief and despair to the point where his body wouldn't allow him to move to protect the ones he love. Subconsciously, his teeth grit and bit into each other as his head flared with memories that sunk deep into his mind, engraved in flames that would never melt away.

The memories of how he failed on Tenrou Island.

* * *

 _The air leaked out of his mouth as he tried to stand, but the bones in his legs just seemed to give out and break before him which forced his body into the dirt. All around him, he just heard fighting and more fighting as dust and sand kicked up all around his fallen form. He swore that he felt Lucy or Erza or someone drag him to his feet but he wasn't concentrating on that, or the pain that dug like stone into his flesh, but instead at the towering mess that was Acnolgia._

 _His dark form bled across the skies and absorbed any light that even attempted to leave the island, with cyan swirls that twisted and curled unnaturally as dead white eyes glared upon them all. A smirk crossed his reptilian features as he knocked around his family, burying them deep into the earth as he flicked and flittered around the battlefield like a graceful giant; the 'grace' being removed and replaced by 'malice.'_

 _Sound erupted around Natsu, but it was all just static to the pink haired teen as his eyes swept across the battlefield, at his family fighting and failing to gain even a little bit of power against the Chaos Dragon. The Strauss' were huddled into a corner with Mirajane trying to calm down her two siblings, who just tried to continue to fight against their broken bodies even though the barmaid wasn't fairing much better, Gajeel's Dragon Slayer instincts seemed to have activated even if he didn't realise it as he stood over a battered Levy as she heaved blood and struggled to stay conscious, Wendy was rushing around with tears flowing freely as she tried to fight against her own pain to try and heal others while Cana assisted her, the Thunder Legion were just pummelling the dragon with everything they had only to be swatted aside like wasps that wouldn't fuck off, Juvia was trying to protect the unconscious Gray and Loke who had tried to run head long at the beast before they were brutally beaten, Erza and Gildarts were really the only ones apart from Makarov that stood even a sliver of a chance in even damaging the great beast from the Apocalypse. Everyone was doing something apart from him…_

" _Natsu!" Twisting his head slowly, almost mechanically, the teens dark orbs joined with his partners. Lucy stared at the pinkette with worry and fear ever present through her features as her chest heaved and sank in on itself as it tried to not collapse. Happy was shivering in fear with Lisanna so at least Natsu didn't have to worry about that. "Natsu what are we going to do?!"_

 _His eyes fell to the dirt, examining his own cuts and scrapes and bruises._

" _Nothing." He was nothing at this point in time. He was a Dragon Slayer, faced with a Dragon that he could never kill. Pulling his face up from the dust, he saw that one by one everyone just fell down. Next to him, he felt the blonde fall to the ground with a *thud* as did everyone around him. And he could feel what took them all down; the pure devastating extent of the Magical Pressure breathing down onto his broken from was like the world was sitting on his back but for some reason, he never fell. But, he felt himself failing at the same time as he felt his feet stood planted into the rocks below. Glancing around, he caught his Masters eye; the old wise look of someone who just fell breathed something into his soul. Realisation._

 _He was alone… Against a Dragon._

 _It was silent apart from the dawning threat of moving feet that shook the very earth that Natsu stood._

 _Heavy breathing flapped against his face._

 _Acnolgia was staring at his body from not 5 feet away. He was smiling as his white orbs of death stared into his very soul as the thoughts of death spread across him. The air stood tense for several minutes._

 _Finally, the Apocalypse scoffed._

 _And he began to walk away, leaving Natsu stunned and fragile. Why wo-_

" _ **Take this not as a sign of mercy, Son of Igneel."**_ _The dark form twisted to meet him with a wicked glare_ _ **. "Take this as a threat that will be carried out. That is, if you aren't a worthy enough opponent that is."**_ _With a dark laugh and a roar, he rocketed into the open skies._

 _And then he was gone._

* * *

A week on and Natsu still had no clue why he was still standing.

But he did realise one thing that day when everyone else fell; he was weak as a Dragon Slayer.

He did not blame Gajeel or Wendy because they were never heralded as the strongest Dragon Slayer in Fiore but he was and he had worn that title for many years. That title was one of the things that made him strong and pushed him to succeed… or at least he thought that it was… The top was always his friends above everything else; protecting them came first. After the top however, it was all reputation. Fairy Tail's, his friends, his own. Reputation was what made his status well known, was what made Fairy Tail… Fairy Tail. Without reputation, there Guild would just be a shack in Magnolia that had nothing to other apart from barbarians who wielded magic but with the reputation that Fairy Tail had on its shoulders, it meant that these barbarians like himself could help people and do things that others could not. It's what made showed off their strength; their status did all that before they even stepped forth onto the battlefield.

But that status had also made him cocky, made him weak.

If that's what titles got him, then to Hell with blasted names!

Throwing a ball of fire to the skies, his bone recoiled and undug themselves from each other. After their fights with Grimore Heart, they were left weak and broken before Acnolgia but everyone survived; somehow. They had come back to shore on weak waves, treading blood with them as they went back to the Guild in shame. He was lucky; his Dragon Slayer magics had helped him heal relatively quickly along with some of Wendy's help but unfortunately everyone else was hospitalised in some way or another.

And that was another sign of his weakness.

If he wasn't strong enough to protect them, which was the one thing that he prided himself for above all else then what was he? Nothing.

Sighing into the air, he slipped off the hospital rails and retreated back into the main building. Every step that he took shook his body, rippled his bandages that coated his form from head to toe but he could shove that all aside for now. His sensitive ears however were filled with noise from all over that he couldn't stop, constant ringing and screeching caused him to recoil at more than one point. None of that should have mattered though. What did matter was that he needed to do something to help prevent all this.

However, he knew that in his mind normal training regimes wouldn't cut it. Natsu needed the most extreme of the extreme, the most Hellish training on all of Fiore if he wanted to even cut it against something half the power of Acnolgia.

Just as he thought about the dread bringer, his feet stopped. The Dragons words hit his mind for the hundredth time that day.

" **That is, if you aren't a worthy opponent."**

Did that Dragon really expect him to fight him and be a challenge? Was that all he was in this for? The thrill? Or was it something else…

In that regard, Natsu could see it. He felt that rush when he fought a good foe like Jellal way back when or Zero and these boosts just filled him with so much drive and energy that sometimes he completely forgot about why he was there in the first place; he'd lost himself in the brawl's just to say that it was HIM that defeated the enemy so many times over the years that he wouldn't have enough digits to count them all. Then it dawned on him; if Acnolgia was really just looking for a good fight and was willing to cause this much destruction to get it, then the two of them weren't so different. The thrill… It was all consuming and had torn him away from his duties too often so… did he and the Apocalyptic Beast feel the same things?

No. No they did not.

A low growl left his throat before he ran his fingers through his messy mane of pink. Spinning on his heel, Natsu started walking over to the area of the hospital where his friends were stationed with the movements of a well-oiled machine as his mind swirled in possibilities. But this hospital was too small and confined to the point where he found his destination in mere seconds which was just too quick to get his mind under control and to stop reeling from his latent thoughts that he thought were buried long ago.

With a sigh, Natsu stared up and the door before him. Well, door was a fancy word for it: it was just a few flaps of plastic that separated him from his beaten Guild Mates. Hey, the vast number of them wouldn't fit anywhere else. That got a chuckle to emerge from his throat.

Pulling back the weightless flaps, he walked on in to his battered mates. As he showered the room with his gaze, he saw everyone turn to look at him. He gave them a nod before he started walking down the long hall. As he walked, he noticed the vast amount of people helping his broken Guild Mates out.

Alzack and Bisca were bringing food round to everyone that the Guilds new bar maiden Kinana had set out making, Jet and Droy were busy collecting supplies while Gajeel abused their deep connection to Levy in order to get himself some more metal, Macao and Wakaba were in conversation with several of the injured while Laki made some make shift splints and things for the members who were further ahead with their treatment, Redus was trying to get more paintings done of the group and Acnolgia so he could hand them over to the Council and Nab, Warren and Max were just generally bringing people towels or anything that they wanted really. It was a nice atmosphere.

' _Shame that it came from something like this, though.'_ Natsu thought, his mind turning dark once more. He must have just stood there for a while cause soon Kinana came to speak to him.

"Um… Natsu?" The pinkette's ears picked up at the noise before he turned to meet the purple haired Guild mate.

"Um hm?" Natsu responded, waiting for her to ask her question.

"Are you alright?" For a minute, he thought about telling the girl and everyone else in the room about what ideas flowed around his head but he just forgave them: everyone needed to get as much rest without worry as possible.

"Never better, Kinana. Good job with the food." He sent her a smile before continuing to walk towards his team.

His team…

Through gritted teeth, he forced himself not to think about how they fell and instead focus on the now. Waltzing up to them, he just saw them talking with the Strauss' across from them. Keeping back, he just examined them all as they spoke.

Gray was pretty quiet but that was probably because he still had bandages wrapped around his entire form, forcing him to stay shut. At the moment, the Ice-Make mage seemed to be the only one who acknowledged that he was there, sending a silent not towards the Dragon Slayers direction. After the dumb stunt that Gray had pulled, Natsu had been helping him do common stuff for the last week no matter how much the student of Ur hated it.

Next to him sat Wendy and Carla, the duo was snuggled up together under a duvet just listening to the conversation at hand. For the last few months, it seemed hard for the young girl to fit in but she had done it despite the constant berating of her furry white companion. As he looked upon her, he felt his fists clench involuntarily as he recalled how she was worn down to exhaustion by the vast amount of times that she had to use her magic on Tenrou: how many times she hurt herself getting back up to heal more people. It made him feel useless.

Snatching his eyes away from the Dragon Slayer, Natsu focused his attention on the girls doing most of the talking; Erza and Mira. Two of the strongest women in all of Fiore as well as two of the most beautiful and most sought after but Natsu could look past that… Kind of. A sigh ran past his throat as he thought back on it. The two had made fun of him, bullied him, practically tortured him when he was younger but he couldn't see them as anything but good and great and fantastic and all the words that corresponded with 'good' that he knew! And he also remembered about how hard they fought on that damned island.

But they were both so different; Erza was just like him in most regards. She as stubborn as an ox, had absolutely unlimited willpower along with what seemed like unrestrained physical power as well but she also had her sweet sides. The beautiful red-head had just crept into his life and affected him in such a strange way but he didn't really mind the feeling, not at all.

The same went to the white haired Demon dweller. Mirajane had made such a drastic change in her life from when she was younger but with that change came a newfound connection between the two that Natsu wished the two had had since their younger years. The lack of this was mostly due to his fear, though, so he couldn't really blame the model… or could he? No matter what it was, she had snuck in as well and the two had maintained a great relationship for many years. It was just kind of unfortunate that it was built off such a dark event…

Looking back to the crowd, his gaze crossed by 3 girls sitting on a singular bed, completely ignoring the conversation at hand; Lucy, Levy and Lisanna. Hehe, 3 L's. The three were all crowded around a thick pile of paper that the Celestial mage's pencil kept bouncing on as she thought of something to write. As he looked at them, that same feeling that he felt with Erza and Mira snuck into his brain. These 3 were all beautiful, great, incredible woman. However, one quick glance to the right of the bed saw a very tired Gajeel Redfox situated to Levy's side so he just sighed before glancing back at the other two girls. White and blonde. Lisanna had been by his side for so many years and had really been the only one to even take him seriously about Igneel and she had even raised Happy (the blue cat was currently trying to talk to Carla; key word is 'trying') with him so he always saw her is some sort of holy, etheric light but after she was snatched away from him, he just felt lost. Even now, after she returned he felt that spark that was once there dissipating for whatever reason and he just fucking despised it.

Although, that may have to do with the buxom blonde situated next to her. Lucy… she was unexpected. He really didn't know what to think when he started to see her in the same light as the other 3 individuals that he already thought of but it was hard not to and he just couldn't get his head wrapped around these feelings. The Heartfilla daughter had just been there for him when shit went wrong when others couldn't and now he was just always there for her… It was a strange conundrum that made him feel strange.

Scratching his cheek, he moved back slightly before sliding down the wall until he was seated on the floor with his head at his knees. These people in his life just hit him in certain places that others could only dream of doing. Natsu didn't know how or why or any of the other W's but all he knew was that he liked these feelings. Problem was, it was happing with a multitude of people apart from these four; Cana caught his attention since they were young and the two had maintained a good friendship for years, even people like Juvia had come to his mind after he actually spoke to the blue haired girl and even Wendy whose protection he cared about so damn much just got him thinking back to some of the things Igneel taught him about when the Dragon wasn't beating him senseless.

Something about Mates…

Letting out a groan and allowing his head to collide with the wall behind him, he heard several people shuffle around before him. Opening a single eye, he looked out to see his team staring at him with confusion plaguing their features.

"Are you… alright Natsu?" Mira asked him with a small chuckle.

"And why are you sitting on the floor?" Erza added suspiciously, her eye narrowing into a glare. "Were you hiding?"

With a smirk of his own, the pinkette leapt to his feet before making his way over to the group.

"Don't worry, I feel better than ever." He replied, sitting down at the foot of Lucy's bed after giving the Iron Dragon Slayer beside Levy a nod.

"You still haven't answered why you were sitting on the floor." Erza reminded him, leaning forward in her hospital bed.

"Are you feeling sick Natsu?" Wendy asked with concern, her eyes growing wide.

"Don't be silly, child. The barbarian was the most healed out of everyone so he's fine… Unless he's gone out and got himself cursed by something which I wouldn't put past someone like him." Carla huffed, turning away from Happy once more to scoff at Natsu.

"Ow… that hurts, Carla…"

"Do you really think I care?"

"Carla!"

"Don't worry, its fine Wendy."

"Natsu!" Erza alerted the mage, drawing him out of his conversation with the Sky Maiden.

"I'm fine Erza, just needed a little rest." Twisting his head to meet the eyes of the three on the bed, he reached down to grab the stack of paper on the buxom blonde's lap. "And what do we have here?"

"Natsu!" Lucy moaned, reaching forward to grab the paper while Levy and Lisanna giggled.

"But you haven't written anything." He noted, showing the group the wordless page with a few dots and scribbles on it. "Is it invisible or something?" Natsu absentmindedly asked, getting a chuckle out of the Iron eater.

"No! I'm just having a bit of writer's block." Lucy muttered quietly before looking back to see Natsu's blank stare.

"It means that she doesn't know what to write, Natsu." Lisanna told him, giggling at his confused face. And like a light, Natsu's face lit up.

"Oh! Well I know you'll figure it out eventually." He passed her the paper with a smile, causing her cheeks to turn a low pink as she took the pages.

"So Natsu, what have you been up to while we've been in here?" Fairy Tail's barmaid asked with a sweet smile.

"Absolutely fucking nothing."

"Natsu, there is a child in your presence!"

"Ah! Sorry Erza!"

"Apologize to Wendy your idiot!"

"Sorry Wendy!"

"I-It's okay, Natsu..."

Just an average day with Fairy Tail.

* * *

Night slowly bled across the skies as Natsu watched over his friend's sleep.

All of them had slowly succumbed to their slumbers, passing out after hours of long conversations and heated discussions. Natsu… Natsu wasn't so lucky. His heart hammered inside his chest was louder than ever and the swirling thoughts in his head only got more deafening as he spent more time around his sleeping mates.

It was all just… suffocating.

Rubbing his hands over his face, he just sat back and tried to take in the world around him. The scents of vanilla, the scent of strawberries, the scent of the wild, the scent of burnt paper, the scent of rain, the scent of alcohol, the scent of perfume, the scent of steel and lightning and the earth and the EVERYTHING of his Guild. He just sat there and took it all in.

Because this was the last time that he would feel them for a while.

Slowly clambering to his feet, he felt his eyes wash over the bodies of those around him. Lucy, Lisanna, Mira, Erza, Levy, Happy, Carla, Gray, Gajeel, Laxus, the Thunder Tribe, Gildarts, Makarov… A smile crept across his face as he felt the presence of the old man; the AWAKE presence of the old man. Slowly waltzing over, he stood at the foot of the long hospital bed that held the tiny man. And just as he had expected, he saw the two eyes of Makarov Dreyar looking back at him.

"Hey Gramps." He quietly murmured, walking around the side of the bed.

"Hello Natsu, what are you doing up so late my boy?" His Master asked quizzically, but in all honesty he already knew.

"I could be asking you the same thing; you need all the rest you can in your old age." He smiled at the older man before the two relapsed into silence.

"I've seen that look in your eyes before, Natsu." Makarov's musing pulled him out of his stupor. "The eyes of guilt, of regret, of failiure."

"Gee, thanks for the reminder."

"The eyes of someone that wants to get better, to overcome what made him feel so weak. I recognise those eyes better than my own, to be honest." Looking up, he locked eyes with the teen. "And I also recognise what you must do to clear that look from your eyes."

They relapsed into silence for a while before Natsu's sniffing could be heard along with the pitter-patter of teardrops on the hard floor.

"Y-You know, I-I just thought a-a-about leaving some sort o-of note and leaving…" He tearful whispered to his Master, feeling a huge weight just become lifted from his shoulder. Natsu heard a sigh before a small but powerful hand gripped at his sleeve and he turned round to see the equally tearful face of Makarov.

"But isn't his much better, my boy? Having someone that knows of why you are doing this instead of just having that message relayed through a dull, probably unelidable piece of paper?" That got a chuckle from both mages. "So where are you thinking of going?"

"I-I honestly have no clue…"

"Try up North; It may be the place where the great Ice Mages train but it is also where many of the great Fire Mages built up their resistance to other temperatures and their own control of their magic."

"T-Thanks Gramps…" Natsu let out one last, long sigh. Before crouching down and wrapping the old man in a hug. "Remember, this isn't goodbye, okay? I'll be back someday, stronger than ever. I'll be stronger then Erza, then Gildarts, then you! Then… then nothing like what happened on Tenrou will happen to us again… Ever again." He said with conviction, trying not to break down while saying those words.

"Then we will all think of this like a job. The description; go out and become the strongest mage in the whole damn Guild. The conditions; do not return to the Guild until then. The reward; the ability to protect your loved ones for all eternity."

"Hehe, sounds like my kind of job."

"Oh trust me my boy, it truly is." Pulling away from the embrace, Natsu stood up and wiped his tears before turning back down to his Master.

"Remember to get one of the girls to watch over Happy while I'm gone okay? And make sure that he's well fed and doesn't get fish every day. Also, make sure that Macao and Wakaba go out and actually try to do something. And while you're at it, make sure to- "

"Natsu. Go." Makarov chuckled at his 'child' as the pinkette began to back away, casting one last look over his Guild, his family.

"If I didn't know any better, I would assume that your trying to get rid of me Gramps."

"To know that, you would have to be smarter than a pile of rocks."

"Haha, good one. Well… I'm off on that job now… So… seeya, for now."

"I'll be waiting, Natsu. Good luck."

The two, master and student, 'father' and 'son', gave one last nod of consideration to each other before Natsu turned around and stormed out of the hospital and Makarov buried his face into his bed sheets to hide the floodgates that had opened on their faces.

And then Natsu Dragneel was gone.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading.**

 **-Jack**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone and welcome back to Chapter 2 of Slayer's Flames!**

 **And to start off, can I just thank you all real quick? This story has got so much success in only a week and it just makes me so happy to know that I can entertain you guys to any extent so thank you all for that. Anyway, now onto the story and reviewer part. It'll be a while before Natsu get's back and in that time no 'harem stuffs' will happen until he gets back so it gives us a lil' bit to sort out whose there and who isn't. Now... I ain't very good at doing larger harems (to my utter disappointment) so I don't really know if I should limit the harem to a more comfortable number like between 7 and 9 cause those are just the numbers that I like and I am used to dealing with without it being just there for the shits and giggles, not really playing into the plot. But I dunno, maybe I'll make it a larger harem, who knows? Not me... kind of me.**

 **Now to clear a few things up with reviewers.**

 **TreeOfSakuras: I know that she is 100 and am sorry that I didn't say that but she was cursed, at least it says so in the wiki that I double checked before writing that. It says numerous things on the wiki about this such as 'Zeref claims that Mavis is cursed just like him' and 'This caused the effecrs of the curse to grow far more potent in the light of love even able to take away the immortal life it granted' or 'figuring out she was under the Ankseram's curse.' Stuff like that. However, if I missed something and she isn't then hey, its an AU, we can just alter some stuff... Right?**

 **A few people talked about Lucy... One person was... very vocal. In all honesty, I don't really like Lucy all that much and prefer pretty much every other female character cause I feel like she is just shoe-horned into every single arc or main story sequence just because she is the main character as well as main eye candy; its really stupid. But, if people do want it, I will do it cause I don't hate her, just dislike her more then some others. However... don't think I'd agree with some of the stuff that one person said... Um... we'll just continue then... Alright?**

 **Also, if I do a pole it should be up in the next few chapters so put in your votes or whatnot for who should be on there. Like I said, I do have a list of people that I would put on there and I'll put that in next chapter cause... we'll I haven't thought of 9 right now... only like 6.**

 **But now! Onto chapter 2! Enjoy.**

* * *

Natsu's feet felt like they weighed 10 tons.

As he walked, as he fled his scarred and injured home, scarred and injured friends and family, he could feel his willpower leave him with every step.

Could he really do this? Just abandon everyone in the face of adversity? Could he sprint out into the world which he knew nothing of, seeking power that he didn't even know if it existed? Twisting his head, the pinkette gazed out at Magnolia from the hill he was situated on, the last slivers of the city were to be erased from his eyes if he took even a few steps forward. The lights flowed freely like water, the colours blending together under a midnight sky and twisting spirals of stars that hid the terrors and the fears of the world from the sleeping populous.

And then his eyes caught the Guild Hall.

It was battered. It was broken. It was home. So many fights, so many jobs, so many THINGS happened there that his brain couldn't even work to remember them all but he knew it was there; Hell, it was practically flowing through his veins and bound to his DNA at this point. Like its members, the wooden building of status and magic held many scars and injuries obtained from those that inhabited it but it would always be home…

Always.

Glancing down at the rocky, grass covered earth he started thinking back to his talk with Makarov.

" _Then we will all think of this like a job."_

"The description; go out and become the strongest mage in the whole damn Guild _."_ Natsu murmured, watching a group of ant's scuttle about on the floor as they weaved in and out of the blades of green that littered the world for miles upon miles.

" _The conditions; do not return to the Guild until then."_

"The reward; the ability to protect your loved ones for all eternity." With a deep breath, Natsu brushed aside any tears that may have even threatened to fall while he reminisced. "And a Fairy Tail wizard never leaves a job uncompleted."

Conviction and pride spread through his words like a virus that infected his whole body, forcing his feet into a slow jog as he descended down the hill with newly found energy flowing through him.

"I will find a way that protect you all."

Slowly, the jog turned into a run, fire lapping at his heels as he picked up speed which threw the flames all over the grass, scorching the blades black with darkness and fire.

"I will find that power that I seek."

A run morphed into a sprint, testing his muscles and bending them to his minds will as an inferno followed his as he just ran and ran and ran and ran.

"I WILL NOT LET ANYTHING LIKE TENROU HAPPEN TO ANY OF YOU EVER AGAIN!"

A cry of angry, rage, conviction, fury, ambition, pride and faith rang out through the darkened air, flames spreading to sky in a blinding gallery of colours in the shape of the Fairy Tail symbol as Natsu just kept sprinting, passing the Magnolia sign as he scorched the side with fire.

"I will return… I will never abandon you."

* * *

Sunlight sank deep into the floor around the slumbering Guild Mates.

As the light danced and slithered around the darkness that was slowly being consumed, the sleeping forms of those in the hospital slowly began to rise with bellowing moans of annoyance or yawns of comfort in this closed off room of white. One by one, each member rose almost mechanically but with their own organic element mixed in until everyone in the room was awake and alive.

"That was a nice rest, wasn't it?" The quite stern voice of beauty Erza Scarlet rang out throughout the environment, drawing all attention onto her. Many of the surrounding members gave her nods or noises of agreement but…

There was something wrong.

Something missing.

No one could tell what, but that presence of emptiness was there and cackling at them for not realising what it had let disappear. However, they all just tried to ignore it, get on with their day like they had done for the past week after the Battle at Tenrou. After all, it was all they could do.

"So, did any of you have some nice dreams?" Fairy Tail's resident barmaid spoke up, Mirajane's bright blue flowing iris' washing over the other members like a flood.

"Kind of… it got a bit weird at the end though…" This time, the light voice emerged from the body of one Lucy Heartfillia, the woman held a quizzical look all over her face.

"Oh? Do tell." The white haired barmaid leaned forward as she tried to pry information out of the mage.

"W-Well, it involved a person."

Still, nobody found the missing piece of the puzzle, the missing cog in their gears but they just pushed forward.

"Really? Just a person? Was it a boy, perhaps?"

"Mira, just cut out your matchmaking schemes for at least the morning, if you don't mind." Another white haired maiden spoke up; the shorter haired Lisanna took up her stance as she stood up from the bed with a satisfying *pop* of her bones.

"Ah… why do you always ruin my fun." With the pout of a child, the older mage buried her head into the duvet as the rest chuckled.

And still, no one noticed.

And no one would for some time.

For hours, the Guild members just talked and chatted while dealing with everything from rent to equipment checks that they could do while in care that didn't require them to do jobs or put up a lot of strenuous effort. Laughter and sarcasm filled the halls these days, but there was one person who was not laughing as loud as he used to.

Makarov sat isolated, flipping through the old pages of a dusty and tattered book. Eventually, everyone took notice.

"Hey Master, what you got there?" Kinana called out, prancing over after handing out lunch.

"Hm? Oh, it's you Kinana. This is an old book that I have kept over the years." The old man told the purple haired teen, turning the book to face her eyes as she stared at the contents.

Displayed on the page was the image of a small boy with bright pink hair and an even wider smile standing by a river. He was wearing a dark crimson shirt with long sleeves and some shorts.

"Natsu…" Kinana said, examining the picture closer. As she examined the page closer, she began to notice that the whole page was filled with pictures of the boy.

"I've had this book from the beginning; when I first became the 3rd Guild Master." Makarov began, drawing the purple haired girl's attention. "I keep a few images of every member of the Guild. Their first days." The old man spoke softly, pointing to a picture of a beat up Natsu and Gray arguing. "To their first jobs." Then to a picture of Natsu with a small bag of money, still smiling. "And generally, just their times at Fairy Tail." He finally gestured to the rest of the images which showed Natsu just growing up.

"Wow that's really- "Before she could finish, Kinana looked up to see the Master holding back tears as he looked at the paper with a smile. "Master! What's wrong?"

Instead of giving her an answer, Makarov got up and walked over to the edge of the bed, wincing with every step. Amidst the noisy hospital room, the Titan's voice still rang out clear.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to make." While quiet, his sudden voice held power and wisdom that needed to be listened to. So, every head twisted and every eye met his.

"What's up, Master?" Gray asked, echoed by several others.

"I will try and make this short, and concise." The old man said, looking down to hide his eyes which were brimming with tears. A deep breath left his throat.

"Natsu is gone."

Everyone and everything froze.

"W-What do you mean?" Lisanna asked, her bright blue eyes wide as she stepped forward.

"He has left the Guild on a job…" Makarov's face lifted up to see his children and what they saw were tears freely falling. "The description? To become the strongest mage in the Guild." With bated breath, he waked as those around him started to succumb to the same emotions that he was feeling.

"The conditions? Do not return to the Guild until you do so." And then the tears begun to fall from everyone as the quiet sobs from the Guild started to escape into the morbid air of the hospital, corrupting the once happy atmosphere into one of sadness.

"The reward? To be able to protect his loved ones for all time." Makarov broke down at the last bit, dropping his head into the duvet. The collapse around him was like domino's falling.

First, the ones who didn't interact with him but still liked and talked to him like Laxus and his Thunder Tribe simply looked down at the floor with solemn looks; they understood what he wanted to do perfectly as they had sought that kind of power themselves. Second, his friends, his allies, his brawling buddies all took a step backwards as they tried to judge the situation and explain why he did this. Their answer was simple; it was Natsu. Finally, the girls whose hearts the Dragon Slayer had unwillingly captivated all felt their forms and minds shatter at the information. Natsu… was gone. Just like that, gone over night. No goodbyes, no note, no nothing. Just an old man to relay his disappearance back to them.

"W-W-Wait, N-Natsu's gone?" Happy stuttered out in-between his growing tears. Lisanna slowly picked her 'son' up and snuggled the sad Exceed into her bust as she cried softly into his soft head.

"Y-Yes my boy. He is gone."

And then they all realised what the room, what the city, what FIORE was missing; the smile of Natsu Dragneel.

* * *

Sleep invaded the sides of Natsu's eyes as he just trudged on.

The fire inside his body fuelled him but that was running low, forcing his legs and muscles into a relapsing state of moving and completely shutting down. A yawn ripped itself from his throat as he tried to figure out where the fuck he was.

All the boy had on him was his signature outfit and a rucksack full of items from his home and some food… THAT WAS IT!

However, he had been wandering around the past few minutes… and hours… maybe days. All he knows is that the sky became very dark for prolonged periods of time while he wandered North so he could only really guess that night had come and gone many times before he felt the tiredness currently attacking him.

As the crisp, nightly air flowed he began to think. Think about his friends, his family, his home, his life, his decision to leave. It had been roughly about 2 weeks since he left and for all that time he had been travelling or sleeping or fighting a monster or a beats or something but now, in the silent air of the forest his mind began to wander.

He was just trying to avoid thinking of them; not out of disgust or hatred though, but out of love. The pinkette knew that if he thought about any of them for a prolonged period of time, his heart would break and his shell would shatter and he would go screaming back to them in order to spend his whole days with them.

But no.

He wouldn't, couldn't, do that. In order to protect them from the ever growing evil that had grown large enough to encompass the Earth 3 times over, he needed to leave them. They were all just distractions; happy distractions, beautiful distractions, loving distractions but distractions all the same.

Deafening thoughts suddenly reached his mind, relaying messages that he once thought lost back to him. It was Igneel, and he was talking about… Dragon Mating rituals. As Natsu's tired body battled through the sleep and the soft feeling of the earth, he began to think back to those days as well.

That day, Igneel had told him that they would be talking about mates. Of course, young Natsu had no clue what he was talking about so the massive red lizard had to explain the concept of love to him. But even then, the young child didn't know the distinction between family love and romantic love so the dragon, who hadn't had much experience mind you, had to talk about that too.

So, after many years of ignoring everything and just focusing on fighting, the time before Lisanna left just let him relax and think about things properly; think about this feeling that he was feeling around certain people; Lisanna, Mira, Erza. Around them he felt… different. Granted, he was properly fearing for his own life around the latter two but Lisanna made him feel warm and fuzzy when he was around her but he didn't dislike it. And as the years went on, that list only grew with Natsu's age.

Running the tips of his fingers against the rough brown bark of the trees, Natsu once again felt sleep try to claim him. However, it was his willpower that played puppeteer to his body as it sluggishly moved it along. With a long breath, Natsu shook his head as he felt something fall onto it as the crunching beneath his feet grew louder.

With baited breath, he turned down to see the white snow, frozen aqua stuck solid under his feet and falling onto his body like rain. How the Hell did he not notice this sooner? He was in the North, exactly where Gramps told him to train! With a smirk, his energy regenerated and he began to run out into the forest, going deeper and deeper until the darkness consumed him and left nothing but the feeling of wet surround him.

He laughed… he really shouldn't have been.

Soon enough, he breached the other side, bursting out like a missile and sprawling out onto the free land of a field which was coated in layers and layers of snow. As he giggled happily he looked all around him at the pure white snow, completely casing everything it touched in its embrace.

' _Snow white…'_

With gritted teeth, Natsu pushed himself up and used his remaining power to light himself a flame with his hand as he pressed on into the frozen wastes. After a while of walking, Natsu began to feel his fire fading. Growling, Natsu doubled his efforts but stopped when he saw an approaching blizzard.

Stopping dead in his tracks, the young mage just continued to stare longingly at the snow storm as it whipped and shifted the world around it, dancing like an exotic performer. Planting his exposed toes into the snow, Natsu just let the cold wash over him as he slapped his face to get some feeling back into it.

Taking the whole situation into account made Natsu think again…

"Geez, too many times in one day and I might break something." Natsu's voice spoke softly in the deafening icy skies.

He started thinking about why he was out here, what he was doing out here and how he was going to do it. And all of it lay after this damn head of snow and that stupid fucking snow cloud. Smirking, he readied himself to run, crushing his knuckles together until they made a satisfying crack before taking off into a sprint towards the torrent of cold fire and white clouds.

Cutting through the snow, Natsu just kept going and going, not stopping, not relenting. After all, he was a Fairy Tail mage who had a Job to complete.

And a Fairy Tail mage never abandons a job.

* * *

 **And done! Sorry that it's a bit shorter I was... I was... Okay, the new Destiny expansion came out and its really good okay!? Don't judge me... Anyway, hope you enjoyed and next chapter Natsu will be getting the first look at his new God Slaying abilities with a 1 year time skip and maybe we'll see him try and divulge into his demonic heritage or at least dip his foot into the water-The demonic water. So this is how it will be going for the next 4 or 5 chapters; time skips of each year to show his power increase or how he gains his new abilities before going back to Fairy Tail so that should be fun. But thanks for reading and see ya next time!**

 **-Jack**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone and welcome back to Slayer's Flame!**

 **Now, to start off the chapter with the same praise as before, thank you all so much for actually liking this story. To be honest, I was kind of worried that this idea wasn't going to be well received but it was and I have to thank you all for that. Now, this chapter should start off a small Arc that Natsu will have to go through until his return to Fairy Tail... But aside from that, I just want to bring something to your attention.**

 **In this story, the 7 year time skip did not happen, yes? So... that means that some people who should be around 18 will actually be 15 because it is instead a 4 year time skip. This also means that some characters will not have the massive age gap on other characters like they did in the original show, like with Shelia being 15 while Wendy was 12 (however this is a special case that I will talking about in a few chapters) so just a thought to put forward.**

 **Now, some reviewer things.**

 **AnimeFan29: Well, thanks for the compliment and I'm sorry that I couldn't interest you but hey, different tastes right? My real problem with Lucy isn't that she is relate-able (to be honest I don't really care about relate-able characters in a magic universe with Dragons but that's just my opinion) or that her backstory isn't that tragic. Its that she is shoe-horned into EVERYTHING! I don't care what you say, she should not have been in the Edolas arc, nope, nope. That FUCKING Clock that couldn't even help her properly on Mt. Hakobe did not save her from a massive calamity that shot down from the sky, nope not a chance in Hell. (Yes I know it was time on Mt. Hakobe but it's still bullshit.) And as to do with the NaLu pairing, I like it. It's cool. I read quite a bit when I first got into FanFiction... But there's just too much of it... Like, seriously, practically a third of the Fairy Tail faniction archive is NaLu to some extent and you just sort of sit there and think, "Is this too much? Yes. Yes it is." So yea, those are why I kind of don't like Lucy as much as some other characters.**

 **Fallen: Yea but hey, drama and stuff. Also, I have a solution to this but thanks for bringing it up. As for the Bloodman thing... no comment.**

 **Once again, thanks to all of you that suggested people for the harem or just said nice things about the story, thank you all so much.**

 **But now that the reviews bit is done, onto the chapter!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The ice sank deep into his cuts as Natsu leaned back against the mountainside.

It felt so cool and refreshing against his skin, the sharp sting burrowing its way down until his nerves froze over. Digging his nails into the block of frozen liquid, the pinkette let his eyes roll back in pain as the frost crept underneath the cartilage and just rested beneath it. Along with the mixed sensations that he was receiving from the ice, his senses were on the fritz as well, spiking up and piping down at any given moment.

But Natsu knew that there was nothing left around him that could hurt him.

Spitting out a small lump of blood and flesh, he watched as the snow below him absorbed the crimson into itself, staining its form with the blood of a warrior like war paint. Below him, he could feel the floor soaking in his blood as well; the icy sponge gripped onto his scarlet and held it for dear life out of fear that the sweet blood would be taken from it so soon. Of course, Natsu couldn't take it back even if he wanted to.

Glancing an injured onyx eye down, he chuckled slightly before wincing as he examined his condition. Numerous cuts and scrapes littered his form, leaking his required crimson as it dripped down the rest of his body. He couldn't see it, but he could feel a rather deep cut just under right eye, grazing him diagonally slightly. It was deep… most of them were. On his chest? He could probably count about 4 individual marks that would be there for years down the line. Arms? About 2 large ones on each, centring around biceps and knuckles while smaller cuts gathered around them. His back? Ha… about 7, showering him in blood. And the rest he couldn't really see so.

What he did see, though, was the state of his clothing. For the past 9 months, he had just been wearing his normal outfit that he wore every day, going to the local village that sat about an hour and a half from his current location to sow it up whenever he ripped it during training. Now though… he would need a whole new outfit. The seams were coming undone from his chest, leaving the upper pecs exposed that were caked in blood, his sleeves had given up trying to stay attached long ago and his trousers had been shredded to the point of no return. Hell, he didn't even know when he lost his sandals!

A sigh ripped itself from his throat.

"Great… more money to spend."

For the last 9 months, Natsu had been doing odd jobs and choirs at the local town to pay for food and stuff while he trained. He didn't live in the town, that would pretty much void the point of training, but he did visit there every week or so. This time… he was told to take care of something.

For all these months that he had spent in the mountains, it had taught Natsu about sustainability. Many times during those 9 months, Natsu had to go without food that would replenish his fire and give him that little boost that he required before hand. So, in retaliation to this lack of energy, he would start to convert his fire into over things as he tried to train and make it last. It was difficult and he had passed out many times, almost freezing solid in the snowy wastes but it was worth all the torturous pain in the end. Now? He could probably last at least a month on his regular supply of magic while dishing out the same sort of power that was required for those attacks that dealt the most damage.

And boy, was he able to back up his case.

Now, a smirk ripped across Natsu's face as he gazed all around the frozen landscape. Wyverns. Bodies, hundreds of them lay scattered around his fallen form just lay dead in the snow; the icy blanket intent of burying their existence from the rest of the world. Most them had broken bones, snapped necks, burnt skin, charred remains things like that but a few were just brutalised. Let's just say; a few months in the wild gave Natsu that survivors spirit, the intent of survival and he knows what it's like to fight for your life, TRULY, on your own in the real world. So… he knows what is necessary to survive.

However, at the feet of Natsu, snout firmly planted at his heels was the largest of the lot. It was about 3 times as large as the surrounding corpses and appeared to be the one commanding them. From what Natsu could tell, it was female. It was the Queen of the Nest. She had once had beautiful snow white scales that helped her blend into the landscape along with her children but now those scales were burnt black by fire, if there were any scales on the hide at all.

When he got into town today, the villagers had asked him to help deal with a problem. Lately, the Wyvern's had been swarming the landscape and causing a lot of difficulties with villagers… One little girl who Natsu had grown to quite like had her parents taken and killed while they were coming as well as many other citizen's families.

So now they were all gone. Eradicated. Burnt. Dead. Not a single one left standing. He had earned himself a few new cuts and such but at least they were gone. However, the pinkette soon felt his pride at his heroic acts slip away in place of the exhaustion, whose tendrils of tiredness gripped and clawed at his soul.

"Well... I'm just gonna… Just gonna…" Natsu started before he let the cold, frigid air take a hold of him as his eyes fell to sleep, becoming nothing but hollow, seemingly-lifeless shells below his eyelids while snow continued to batter against his fallen frame.

* * *

9 months…

He had been gone for 9 months.

It didn't really feel like 9 months but then you'd check the calendar and yep, sure enough Natsu had been gone for 9 months.

Sure, it wasn't like time had stood still and Fairy Tail shrank into a depressive state of unhappiness. Well, after the first month that is. It was still known as the loudest, most extreme Guild in all of Fiore… Plus, it had to pay less bills for damages.

However, every time someone walked into the Guild, every single person sitting at one of those tables, sitting at that bar, or fighting a good fight, every single person would look and hope and pray with every bone and fibre that they had in their body that a certain pink haired mop would walk through those doors. He never did.

Today was no exception.

Mira sighed as she wiped down the mugs and cups that had been laid aside with reckless abandon by the sink, taking in the cheerful atmosphere around her. The laughing, the clashes of glass from beer mugs, the cracking of bones… Just an average happy day at Fairy Tail. But it wasn't the true Fairy Tail experience that everyone had come to know and love because it was missing one of its key components; Mr. Natsu Dragneel.

Placing the mug down, Mira took in a deep breath as she thought about the whole situation.

After that day 9 months ago where the Master had told them about how Natsu had left the Guild to train, they all just sort of broke for a bit. Some, like Laxus and his Thunder Tribe, just walked away from all the fuss for a bit. They respected the teen, they liked him, but compared to everyone else they had very little actual connections to him. Others, like Gray and Gajeel just stopped fighting for a small while and instead retreated to the furthest corners of the Guild where they just… talked, reminisced about what they did with the guy before he went and 'ran off' in their words. And then there were those that had been entranced by the Dragon Slayer, be it for his charm or his loyalty, his determination or his lovable attitude, Hell it might even be for his body, but whatever it was for they all just felt crushed without his presence.

Of course, Fairy Tail was back to their normal antics in almost no time at all but the scars of Natsu's disappearance still lingered. Thinking back to that last group of people left Mira sighing as she put the mug she was cleaning down. She was one of those people. She was captivated by the pinkette's determination and strife, his almost endless supply of power and adrenaline that pushed him to complete any activity placed before him, his dense nature and loving attitude. It was all just… perfect for the kind of life they lived.

To be honest, she didn't know if she 'loved' him; Mira knew that she liked him, more than a school-girl crush anyway, but love was such a strong word. The platinum haired beauty dropped her cerulean orbs to the bar as she thought about how long she had been in… well, something with the Dragon Slayer. If Mira could recall, it was all the way back when he first joined. Back then, it was a simple school-girl crush that came from his cute, childish attitude and looks and that only increased as he got closer to her sister which drove her to pick and bully him as a way to deal with her feelings; pretty low but hey, she didn't know what to do at that age.

And then Lisanna 'died.'

Natsu had been there when she did, had been standing at her grave for even longer then Mira did, had been feeling the same crushing, the same debilitating force that had been forced upon them and he had helped her through it. He had stayed with her after the Guild Hall as she drank the pain away and he stayed with her, sometimes just to comfort her when she got sad due to the drink, or if she got angry at her own worthlessness due to the same alcohol, or perhaps even just talk to her about his own feelings while he gulped the painful liquid down. Natsu was always there for her… That was when it was no longer a school-girl crush.

Picking her eyes up, Mirajane surveyed the Guild until her eyes landed on the form of her sister. The short haired teen was picking up discarded plates and mugs from each of the tables with a big smile plastered on her pale face as she talked to different people. However, the older sister knew that that smile was fake, an illusion planted there to draw away any attention from her broken soul.

Unlike her, Lisanna loved Natsu. She had known for so damn long, maybe even before leaving Earthland for Edolas, Mira couldn't exactly be sure but she definitely could tell. How her sister's eyes shone that little bit brighter when she looked at him, how she smiled just that little bit brighter when he talked to her, how she moved that little bit closer to him when they were sitting down. Lisanna also had Happy as well as Natsu, the blue fur ball saw the silver haired girl as his mother and the pink haired idiot his father… One big happy family. But then she was taken away; she was robbed of her opportunity to see the boy as more than a close friend. It hurt so much to know that and when she came back, it hurt even more to see that the two had drifted apart while Lisanna still held that love and adoration in her eyes for him. It all was just not fair…

Aside from the two sisters, there were many others. With a giggle, Mira cast her eyes over the other figures in the Guild that may pose some interest to Natsu.

Glancing over to the near centre of the room, her eyes fell onto the forms of the girls of the old Team Natsu, still named after the man even after his departure while Gajeel took over the Dragon Slayers spot. They were sitting there along with some of the other Guild Girls and it made Mira wonder; how many of them liked Natsu like she did? Or maybe even like Lisanna did?

Erza was pretty clear cut; she was in relatively the same position as Mira. The red headed knight was another one of those people who stood by the barmaid during her Hellish times of Lisanna going to Edolas and one of those times, the girl had been so drunk that she had begun spouting out about how much she liked Natsu and how she couldn't understand why she felt this way with him. Ever since, the two had held a mutual agreement about the pink haired Dragon Slayer. However, after the Tower of Heaven… Mira could see a visible change in Erza when it came to Natsu. Much like Lisanna before her but to a lesser extent. Erza didn't 'love' Natsu… but she felt something towards him.

Wendy was a strange one… She had told them all that she saw Natsu as an older brother but she was acting like the girls did around Natsu when they were all her age… Well, how Lisanna acted around the boy when they were younger. Her cheeks were always dusted in pink when Natsu was around, her eyes would grow a little wider and she would be constantly checking herself against her 'competition' when he was there. It was cute, in its own little way.

Lucy was another one of them anomalies; she was unexpected. She appeared the like the Fire Mage but even after all the time that they had spent together, she never acted on it. Miss Heartfilla always banged on about how she had horrible dates or how guys were only after her body but then always glanced over to a brawling Natsu as she was telling the stories that Mira loved hearing so much. Like herself and Erza, the blonde felt… something towards Natsu.

Then there was Cana, who has drunkenly tried to seduce the Dragon Slayer multiple times (It hasn't worked yet) and seems to at least see an interest in him, or Levy who has helped Natsu with his literacy and spelling since they were young, who has seen him struggle the most and has seen him at least partially overcome it, or even Kinana who has only been here a few months but her view on the Dragon Slayer is very positive and Mira had seen her staring more than once.

And that was just people in the Guild.

When the teen returned, it was going to be interesting… When he finally came back.

With a solemn look on her pretty face, Mirajane returned to her work, absently gazing to the door as the hours ticked by.

* * *

The snow crunched and the land distorted as the man walked forward, with his cult slowly following in his footsteps.

Only the sounds of his heavy boots littered the skies as he wandered on, white obscuring his body from sight. The trees shook and swayed, seemingly away from the man and his followers in fear and loathing and the snow that fell onto him fell quiet and fearful as it touched his accursed skin.

Eventually, he reached a hill. The snowy pile of frozen liquid stood out from all and looked over a small town, its lights bright against the dark sky and the brown oaks of the houses standing out nicely against the snow that threatened to smoother them. Under the cloak of ice, the man smiled before he dispersed the surrounding snow with a plume of azure fire that erupted around his body.

As the fires fanned, the man could easily be made out. He had short white hair that tried to hid its dishevelled and messy nature under a black hooded cloak but it still poked its way out. Said dark cloak morphed and shaped around his body as it flowed down to his waist, finishing just below his hamstrings with jutted and sharp cuts in the fabric. The right side of the cloak was frayed and broken, allowing the world to see his burnt and scarred hide that fled down until it reached his legs and the start of his neck. The man's face held a content smirk and dark eyes with green iris'.

"Master, what do you intend us to do?" One of his followers, garbed in dark black robes with a dark azure eye painted onto the hoods front, with a skeletal structure being painted onto the rest of the body of the cloak in a similar colour.

The man did not speak, but instead he simply raised his hand. Suddenly, black runes and hives popped out from his skin and travelled up his unburnt arm until they reached his eyes which shone with cruelty and malice. As soon as the runes sank in, they imbued a dark blue aura before the man spoke.

" **Devil Slayer's Secret Art, Cursing Heavens: Fire Devil's Execution and Cursing Heavens: Fire Devils Wing Burst"**

From all around the town, azure fire flew out of the earth in spurts, completely covering the houses in flames as the group shook and a massive pillar of blue fire corrupted the town. It ate its way through every square inch of the place, rising up high into the sky until it blackened it with the image of the Devil; Lucifer shone like an angel before his wings broke and shot forth spears of azure down onto the world below. Screams broke through as the man's grin turned feral and he turned to his followers.

"Make sure that there are no more survivors. This needs to be a very clear message from one Slayer to another." He got a dozen nods before they all filed down to the screeching town. Looking out onto the mountain range, the man smiled once more as he held his pocket, a large sum of money being placed there.

"Let's see how strong you've become… Natsu Dragneel. Ha HA HA HA HA!"

And with that cruel laugh that shook the sky in agony, his fiery form shot to the sky, ready to see over any of the carnage that was about to take place.

* * *

 **OOOOOH! Who is this!? Well... Uh... It's... Uh... It's the Devil Slayer. Oh my gosh, such surprise, I didn't see that coming at all. Anyway, thanks for reading and know that I have set up a schedule that should help me figure my stories out. A chapter for this story should be coming every Sunday if I'm good at keeping to schedules that is. Now, once again thanks for reading and see ya later!**

 **-Jack**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone and welcome back to A Slayer's Flame!**

 **Now, I know that I may sound like a broken record at this point, but thank you all so much for the support. Seriously... We've almost got 200 followers in only 3 weeks... Just... how? Anyway, thank you's aside I wanted to get this chapter out earlier because I won't be uploading on Sunday because i will be doing something special for one of my other stories but I didn't want to leave you all high and dry so here we go! Now let's go over reviewers questions and stuffs.**

 **Earth Dragon Arnighte: I will be putting them in after the harem has been officially chosen.**

 **Johny Spectre: Yeah, I can kind of see your point with the realistic story stuff but in a magical world, I personally don't really care about all that. I want to see epic fights that involve Dragons and Demons and all that but that is just me so you may have a different taste. As for the Edolas thing, still calling bullshit. Then the whole FanFiction thing, yeah most of it probably is but even if it does work there does not need to be so much of it; it just desensitises you to it over time having too much shoved in your face at once. And yeah, I hate those stories too... I like that we can have these conversations. And thank you for the compliment.**

 **HaremLover: That's already and I'm a dude... I think... No... Yea... I'm a dude. Anyway, thanks for the suggestions but having Natsu pick up those girls as daughters... they won't be that young, only like 3 years younger then they are in cannon (bare in mind a few but that's for later) such as Yukino becoming 15 instead of 18 and stuff like that.**

 **PugTheMagician: I know it sounds crazy to say that but its true: for Fairy Tail standards that is small. Insane shit right there. Anyway, I am hoping that I di not just play off my characters off as just putting them in there because they are hot cause I do like them and think that you could do a lot with them. As for the others... yeah I kind of was but hey, everything needs a little setting up.**

 **Now onto chapter 4!**

* * *

Snow turned to water below his feet as Natsu just ran.

All he could do was run, all he could do was try and get to the chaos before it all got worse. Around him, the world just faded into one big blur that moved seamlessly with the ever growing plumes of smoke and ash. His nose, as acute as ever, could smell the burning flesh and charred scent of wood from miles off, with the putrid stench getting stronger as he grew near to the town.

About an hour ago, he woke up from his fight induced coma from his battle with the dragons and after pocketing a few scales in his… lack of pockets, he started to make his way back to town. It hurt like Hell, but his Dragon Slayer abilities were doing a good job of sewing his torn threads of skin back together. Like before, he knew that a few would leave scars but that wasn't what mattered right now.

While he was walking, a huge cloud of ash had risen over the landscape as it engulfed the trees and the snow in fire when it approached. Only being saved from the onslaught by a small, hollowed out cave in the snow, he had walked back up to see a decimated landscape; the trees had been burnt to cinders, leaving nought but ashes and smouldering tree bark on the floor, and the snow had completely melted which left a large lake sized puddle of water all around him. After staring in confusion and awe at the display for a few minutes, Natsu turned to the source of the plume…

The town.

And the teen had been running to the town as if his life depended on it ever since.

Ice cracked below his weight and snow just faded into nothingness as he passed but Natsu didn't care so long as he got to the town. Something of this size couldn't just appear out of nothingness, even from a high level monster or beast. No… no this was the work of a mage; a very powerful one at that.

Drawing closer allowed Natsu to take note of the unique colouration of the fire. It was blue, azure if he was to be exact, and it just pulsed with power. The flames danced around the scenery, burning anything it touched until it just vanished before moving on to its next victim like a remorseless killer. And they felt hot, something Natsu had only rarely felt up and until this point. Yes, this was a very powerful mage indeed.

Leaping over a small hill of gathered snow, the pinkette finally found himself standing before the town… Or what was left of it. Azure fire attacked every building and every monument in sight, melting the oak down around the world and crushing through years and years of history. From where he stood, Natsu could see the singed remains of the clothes shop that he had visited to repair his damaged clothes, the scotched husk that once was the bar which reminded him of his home in Magnolia and the ignited shell of armour that sat at the centre of the town that was once a proud statue of the town's history. All of it just… gone.

Then the screams burst through his eardrums with such intensity that they nearly broke his brain. The shouts for helped had begun to blend into the sound of crackling flames and melting steel but they rose above all other noises to Natsu. Pain and anguish were all that he could hear and he was just frozen in space to admire the extent this person had gone through to put all this misfortune on such a small town.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Natsu began to sprint down to the lit town. The blue of the fire lit up the night sky with vengeance and death as ash clouds haphazardly passed him by. Running down the hill until his feet met the singed stone of the street, he felt the heat that he was previously feeling multiply. With gritted teeth, Natsu surged ahead, pulling back in shock at the charred state of the bodies that he encountered on the way… and he knew all of these people. The butcher lay dead and charred outside his shop with the melted end of a clever still clutched in his lifeless hand while the barmaid was trapped below the fallen remains of the bar's skyline, dead. They were all just dead and burnt and dead and-

"Help!"

Alive!

Wiping his head around to the sound of the pleas, Natsu began to zero in on the voice as he tried to avoid the searing heat and the flickering flames that has engulfed the towns buildings. Eventually, he reached the clothes shop… and trapped beneath the collapsed door was the little girl that he had grown close to over his time here.

"Ah shit!"

The pinkette screamed in horror as he ran up to her crying figure, the flames of the torched shop slowly creeping up to her trapped and exposed leg. Her lithe frame was littered with cuts and her once brown hair was singed and dyed black with soot. Rushing up, she barely gave the Dragon Slayer any notice as the fire started to engulf her whole body. More screams emerged as Natsu threw the door behind him before picking the child up and holding her to his chest. His immunity to fire should fan the-

The heartbeat ran dead.

No beating, no nothing. As he held her, he could slowly feel the fire break down every part of her body, disintergrating her until she become just another pile of ash at Natsu's knees. He... was too late… he was… As tears began to prick at his eyes, that damned blue fire began to swirl around his fallen form, creeping up his arms with tendrils and fire.

"AHH!"

With a scream and shout that he didn't know he could emit, Natsu threw his head to the skies in roar… But the scream was not in anger, it was in pain. Glancing down with guilt in his eyes while the 'body' before him slowly took off into the sky, Natsu bore witness to his skin becoming burnt and scarred, the skin on his arms becoming trapped and twisted due to the fire.

It… burnt him.

Fire actually hurt him…

IT BURNT HIM!

Throwing his hands into his hair, he tugged on the pink strands as he cried in confusion and guilt. Not only had a little girl died today because he wasn't quick enough, as well as whole town but he had been hurt by fire… It invaded his mind and he didn't know which to be more afraid of; the town or the fact that such a mage existed to the point where they could harm a Slayer.

"Oh, you're here."

An eerily cheerful voice reached his ears and Natsu seized his screaming. Turning his head up, Natsu could make out a figure before him. He was wearing a long black cloak that covered his whole body but left his right arm exposed which allowed Natsu to see the horribly scarred and burnt skin that resided there. That burn continued to the man's face and neck, shadowing his emerald orbs and messy white hair. And swirling around his form was the same blue fire that torched the town.

Anger flared in his eyes as he realised that the man before him caused all… All of THIS!

"WHY!? Why did you do this!? Natsu yelled, trying to stand up but the mixture of his burns and the reopened wounds from earlier sent him back sprawling to the ground. The man just simply stared at him with a bored expression before walking over to an unburnt crate that sat near Natsu's position.

"So, Natsu Dragneel huh? Hm, thought you would have been later then this… Well, at least you got to see the work while it was in progress." The dark figured smirked before sitting down on the box. Another bout of rage filled Natsu as he began to try and drag himself on his hurt arms to the man. "Oh, where are my manners. My name is- "

"I don't give a fuck what your damn name is! You killed all these people, why?!" Natsu roared at him as his nerves would not relent their torturous routine. The man, however, just glared at him before continuing.

"As I was saying, my name is Hyperion… Well that's my code name but you don't want to know my real name." The now named Hyperion smiled again before leaning back against the wall situated behind the crate. Chuckling slightly when Natsu tried to crawl towards him again, he began to analyse the Slayer's body. It was cut up, scared and burnt but he was not relenting for a single second.

' _Geez, he really Is resilient… Just like_ _ **he**_ _said he was.'_ Hyperion thought with a smirk.

Standing up from his podium, Hyperion walked over to Natsu and he stood before the pinkette's face, taunting him. Just like he thought, Natsu reached out to grab his ankle and he tried to light his hand aflame with his own orange coloured heat but it just weakly died out in his hand.

"Hm? No magic left Natsu? But how will you save all these people?" The white haired man smiled again before setting his whole body alight with blue fire. Once more, the flames engulfed Natsu's form and it sent him reeling to the ground. With a huff, Hyperion swiftly turned around.

"Well, my employer did say to kill you the first chance I saw you… but you're pretty fucked up, kid, so you know what? Imma let you go! Yep for free, how does that sound?" With a smile, he looked over his shoulder in joy before that turned into astonishment as he saw Natsu push himself up from the floor with a sway in his movements and his eyes dropped.

"I ain't gonna run, no way! I'm a Fairy Tail mage and I will see that my job is done; and that starts with killing you." Gritted teeth met a beaming smile as Hyperion turned on his heel.

"Oh? Well kid I did try to warn you." Walking up to the teen, Natsu tried to take a swing at him but it landed wearily on his left arm. Shaking his head in mock disappointment, Hyperion just smiled. "No not like that… like this!" With a bloodthirsty smirk, Natsu watched in horror as Hyperion leaned his hand back and watched it become coated in swirling blue fire.

" **Fire Devil's Ensnaring Fist!"**

Hitting the Fairy Tail mage square in the chest, he watched in glee as he saw Natsu go flying back into the once beautiful clothing shop. The last remnants of woods fell down and the few shards of glass that were left on the window shattered as Natsu landed. Once again, the azure fire began to eat away at his chest but this time Natsu did not scream.

"Well, jobs done. Come on fella's let's go!" Hyperion began to shout but the smallest sounds of shuffling was heard behind him which made the man both smile and huff in annoyance. Not even turning around, he just shouted. "For fucks sake, don't you ever die?!"

"W-What did you say you were?" Now, instead of that rage and anger that was once there, it was shock and confusion. Leaning back, Hyperion locked eyes with Natsu to see them wide and shaking.

"Hehe, a Devil Slayer kid. Well now, have a good one. I'll see you later Natsu… if you live of course." With a malicious laugh, the man begun to fade away into a cloud of blue fire not dissimilar to the one that Natsu had narrowly avoided not 20 minutes ago. However, one thought plagued his mind as he left in the plume.

' _I thought that he was immune to fire…''_

And then it was all over. Every flame went out, all raging inferno's seized to exist which left only hollow shells of charred buildings and ruined structures.

Inside the husk that once was the clothes shop, Natsu just lay there, staring at the ceiling.

"He… burned me…. How did he… He uses Devil Slaying magic... so it's just altered fire used to kill Demons… so why was I…"

However, even as he spoke those words, staring up at the sky through the holes in the skyline and as he began to slip into unconsciousness he couldn't shake that thought out of his mind.

How the Hell did this mage burn him?

* * *

A dark cloud of azure spread across the courtyard before the form of Hyperion sauntered out.

Whistling a tune, the white haired man took his gaze to the clear skies as he took a deep breath of the morning air in. It had taken him about a day to get here so it had just turned to daylight as he arrived. From all around him, the court was empty. He had left his 'followers' to clean up the mess back at the village while he came here to have a little… chat with his employer.

"Ah… I sure do love coming to Alverez." He muttered before pushing his way through the massive steel doors at the castle's gates. His steps bounced and jumped off the clean walls and ceilings as he walked down the immaculate hallways. All around him, he felt the magical pressures of all those around the castle; to be honest, it was deafening and crushing to his whole body. Letting out an involuntary wince, Hyperion continued his trek to his destination.

Eventually, he reached it. Stepping into the large hall, doors open and welcoming, he felt the most powerful magic presences of all reach him. Both felt utterly demeaning and far above his level. Alining the sides of the massive hall were pillars of marble that kept the place aloft but apart from that, there was very little in what should be a King's Quarter's.

Once again, just like he had done several weeks ago, he started to approach the end of the hall all the while trying to calm his nerves while in front of the figures that he could not currently see. But as he got closer, he could see it all; the large throne like chair, the large window behind it that just beamed light into the chamber and the two people standing by the throne.

The first was a tall, voluptuous woman who held great power and significance in her stance. Her thick, braided crimson hair split off into three sections that spilled down her back and two that flowed down the front of her body. Aside from that, her attire showed confidence and strength in it with a black witch's hat that rested on her head while a black top similar to the robes of a traditional wizard covered her upper half before cutting out in the centre to expose the lower section of her breasts before continuing. Covering her lower half, she simply had a black and scarlet cloth that covered her unmentionables while still showing off her legs. This, along with her her signature wooden staff, just cemented her position. This was Irene Belserion.

However, she was standing to the side of the throne. Before Hyperion, sat a relatively average looking man. He held messy black hair with bangs that almost covered his onyx orbs and his outfit consisted of a simple set of black robes with white outlines and a collar that stretches past his neck and a white toga carefully draped over his right shoulder. While he looked nothing more than average, his power was suffocating and intense. This was the Spriggan Emperor; this was Zeref.

Stepping before the two almost Godly figures, Hyperion gulped before bowing.

"Hello my Lord." He heard a small chuckle from the dark mage.

"There's no need for that Hyperion… Now what have you got to tell me about Natsu?" Zeref asked, leaning forward in his seat with a smirk. The look in his eyes was protective and Hyperion didn't exactly know what to think about it.

"W-Well, he's improved significantly over the months. When I saw him, he had just come back from killing over a hundred Wyverns, one of my men told me." Hyperion said with a small chuckle with his head held down.

"That's very good…. Did you do what I asked?"

"Yes… He had become enraged from what I saw and that should push him for a bit longer."

"Thank you… He always was the one to try and fight for the sake of someone else; even if they were dead. You may continue your mission now, Hyperion. Thank you." With nothing more, a small bag of money was thrust to Hyperion's feet by Irene, who was just watching on emotionless. About to make a stand, the Devil Slayer decided that he needed to ask something.

"Um... My Lord?" The white haired man spoke up, drawing attention back to him.

"Yes, oh Demonic Titan?"

"You told me that Dragneel was fireproof… right?"

"Yes… that is true, it's part of his magic. Why do you ask?"

"Well… my magic burned him."

Silence echoed around the room.

"And I just wanted to know why."

More silence.

"That is none of your concern. Do your job, that is what you were paid for."

"B-But My Lord, how can I continue if- "

Suddenly, another bag fell to his feet but this time it was at least double the size of the last one. Looking up in shock, he saw the red ringed gaze of Zeref, his anger flaring as his eyes morphed to crimson.

"Take that as compensation for your silence. Now leave."

And that Hyperion did.

Once he had left, more silence flooded the chamber as Zeref stood from his seat and moved to stare out of the window. Again, Irene remained quiet, but vigilant as she watched her Lord with his every move. After a few minutes passed, Zeref spoke.

"Irene, go and help Brandish and Dimaria with their training. We need the strong in the 12, and those two have great potential to be strong."

With a bow, the Scarlet Angel left, leaving Zeref behind on his own. However, his face was morphed into a small smile as he looked down upon a small picture that he held inside a locket. A small picture that depicted a young black haired boy alongside an even younger pink haired child. That ghost of a smile grew wider as Zeref continuously stared out the large window at his Empire.

"You'll find out soon, brother. You will learn all soon."

* * *

And done... You get no more notes... FOR NOW! HAHAHAH! No... But seriously thanks for reading and next time should be the start of Natsu developing his God Slaying powers and next chapter i should be counting up the harem stuffs and posting my own list and all that stuff so see ya then!

-Jack


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello everybody and welcome back to Slayer's Flame!**

 **Chapter 5... Pretty good shit.**

 **Once again, and I know this is getting boring but thank you for all the support. I mean, in only 4 chapters we have over 200 followers so thank you again. Now, for starters, I have counted the current number of people that you guys want in the harem and... ah... It took me a while I'll tell you that. Currently, the list looks like:**

 **Erza:9**

 **Mirajane:9**

 **Ultear:9**

 **Irene:4**

 **Lucy:4**

 **Levy:3**

 **Lisanna:7**

 **Wendy:2**

 **Chelia:1**

 **Cana:6**

 **Juvia:2**

 **Laki:1**

 **Kinana:4**

 **Meredy:3**

 **Hisui:3**

 **Jenny:3**

 **Sherry:1**

 **Kagura:3**

 **Yukino:4**

 **Sorano:4**

 **Brandish:7**

 **Dimaria:6**

 **Minerva:6**

 **Kyouka:2**

 **Sayla:4**

 **Virgo:4**

 **Aquarius:2**

 **Aries:2**

 **Libra:1**

 **Pieces(Mother):1**

 **Kamakia:2**

 **Cosmos:2**

 **Flare:4**

 **Yea... Thats a long fucking list.**

 **Now as I previously stated, not everyone on here is going to be getting with Natsu. I'm sorry if that upsets you but I like character development and stuff so having a harem of about 30 girls won't really allow me to do that and I don't even like large harems that much. So, currently I will be doing a harem of about 9/10 girls (I may go higher if given a reason) and from this list I can confirm the first 5 cause of voting and shit.**

 **So... the first 5 are... *drum roll***

 **Erza**

 **Mira**

 **Ultear**

 **Brandish**

 **Lisanna**

 **Whoop whoop! One of my favourites is in! Oh.. um and the others are cool. Honestly, I don't understand the appeal with Ultear cause... what has she actually done with Natsu apart from fight him but hey I like the ship (a lot more then NaLu anyway) and I'll happily write it along with the other 4 cause I have alright storylines in place to put them together while giving it some development, especially Brandish who I have a plan for that some of you might be suprised about. Also, a few people were worried about villains being added and about how I would have to dilute their personalities I will try and not do that with Brandish and not make her the complete opposite of her normal personality which is actually really interesting and I will not just shoe horn her in either... Well try not to at least.**

 **So that's the first five down, next 5 down as well. I'll do this count every few chapter but I want to know, should I put a poll up for the remaining girls? Let me know. Anyways, reviews!**

 **TiredOfCanon: Yeah, I know what you mean; I see the two sides and I can empathise with both sides. Like I said, I don't hate her. So it's hard for me to make a decision about her so I'm just gonna leave her for a bit. Also, I don't mind if you make a One-Shot, I really don't. Go ahead and make your own paths and choices and stuffs. If you do though, PM when its out cause I definitely want to read them! And is your art online? Cause I kind of wanna see that as well if you don't mind cause it sounds cool.**

 **DdraigTrueEmperor0: Dunno. Maybe. Like I said, its a voting thing for the most part but I may slip in my own choices for time to time but I will tell you that if I do Lucy will probably not be part of it. I've already made my stance on her clear (and will be even further in a bit) but hey it's your choice if you ocntinue and I'm just happy you even considered reading it.**

 **Call0013: Even if she is the narrator, she doesn't have to be in every arc. That is lazy writing. They could have easily done Natsu telling Lucy about what happened in Edolas from his point of view cause it was mostly the Dragon Slayer's point of view anyway, which makes no sense how she really knew about that and you could say that they told her but then why didn't they just have the Dragon Slayer's tell her what happened? Also, you could of have a cute thing between Natsu and Lucy with them throwing bits of banter back and forth with narration! Come on! I'm giving you shipping Gold here!**

 **Guest From Hell: Not to rude, but please look up your facts before hand. Natsu is not human. He used to be, isn't now. He is entirely Etherious, his power isn't stored in the book he is from the book because he IS E.N.D. This is made very clear to us and even on the wiki, you scroll down to his race and it says 'Demon (Etherious) and has been like that for a very, very long time. Also, Igneel being in his body did the exact opposite of what you said. With Igneel being in his body, he created Anti-Bodies for Natsu that would completely prevent Dragonification so Natsu could never become full or even half Dragon. So no, Natsu would have been burned either way. And to finish off, I did not introduce this for conflict sake; I introduced Hyperion as a way for Natsu to discover that he is E.N.D by having him be burned by a Devil Slayer while also giving him a chance to interact with the Devil Slayer that he will later get his abilities from and to give them a bit of backstory. Sorry if that came off as rude or condescending but please look up this stuff before hand. And if I am wrong and you have evidence to support it then I whole heartingly apologise what I have said. Once again, don't mean to be rude or condescending just trying to be informative. And thank you for the compliment!**

 **DragonHunter11: Yes, he is being burned because he is a Demon. At this point he doesn't know any of this and from my research, Zancrow's flames only hurt him, not burn him the way the Devil Slaying Flames did. That is just from my research though so i may be wrong. So in my story he wouldn't be surprised by it hurting him but he would be surprised by it actually burning his skin in such a way. And thank you.**

 **Now before i begin, can I just say that ltest chapter! Boys and girls it hit me hard, man... And the chapter before that was so awesome! Finally it arrives! And next chapter looks like a continuation of that fight so I'm super excited for that!**

 **Anyway onto chapter 5!**

* * *

The first thing that Natsu awoke to, was purple fire.

It was dancing and swirling around his vison, skittering in and out for several seconds before completely devouring his sight. The fire itself was dark and ominous as sparks of violet fell to the floor. As he watched it dance and parade its power before him, Natsu couldn't help but think of where he might have seen this type of flame before; it felt familiar, its heat was known to him… And it felt good.

Shakenly pushing his arms below him with a hiss of pain, the pinkette slowly began to try and push himself up off the ground he currently lay on. His mind was blank and empty as he tried to recall the events of the last day but nothing was coming to him and it hurt his body even more to think about it. Disregarding his forgotten memories for the time being, Natsu found himself drawn back to the indigo fire and felt himself fill up with content and some sense of attainment when he gazed upon it.

Subconsciously, he began to drag himself up and back to his feet but he didn't notice; he just continued watching the fire. It was a hypnotic, comforting flame that drew him in and just embraced him like his friends at the Guild would and it made him feel happy inside. However, there was something eating at him as he looked upon it… something that told him that this flame was not something good. Racking his brain for any semblance of a memory that had to do with indigo flames, he found himself unable to think straight or even really think of anything at all apart from that fire.

It was… just… enchanting.

Finally reaching his feet, Natsu took a look around his current position. All around him, blocking his vison from every angle, was this purple fire. It etched itself into the earth, scorching and marking it as the cloud continued to swirl and consume him. Once again, the heat was warm and comforting even with the destructive image that was painted on the canvas before him. For a while, he just continued to stare at it, but after all that staring, he began to remember… something.

"You know; this actually looks a lot like- "

Onyx eyes widened at the realisation.

"Zancow!"

Throwing himself into a fighting stance, Natsu prepared to fight against the God Slaying mage. This purple fire was a God Slayers signature; how the Hell did he not see this sooner!? Letting a fierce growl rip free from his throat, the pinkette began to pivot on his heels as he tried to see behind the wall of fire for the mage. But then he remembered…

Zancrow was dead.

He had diedon Tenrou.

Pausing his movements, Natsu began to think back. Yea… yea he was dead. He had seen his corpse on the way back; it was decaying and barely recognizable but the long hair and his distinct smell gave it all away back then. But then that just bought forth another question; if this wasn't Zancrow's flames then who did it belong to? He hadn't heard of another God Slayer coming into fruition and couldn't a God only teach once? Then again, Zancrow did tell him that Hades taught him it, so maybe he taught it again. No, he was dead as well.

While all these question shot back and forth from wall to wall in his head, the fire slowly began to draw closer. Picking his eyes back up, Natsu found himself locked into staring at the fire as it morphed and shaped itself into a thin column, letting him see the surrounding world. However, his eyes still stuck to the flames. Surging forward, the fire began to envelop Natsu's form. It curled and coiled up his body, wrapping itself around every single one of his limbs as it made its way towards his chest before completely enveloping that too.

Natsu would have moved, shouted, tried to get it off… but it didn't hurt. Instead; it felt good. Glancing down at his arms, the fleshy tissue there still scarred and twisted from Hyperion's fire began to uncoil and heal as the fire passed over it. It did not heal completely, it only uncoiled the tissue so now scars and rips in his skin were visible but the skin was no longer twisted. Looking over the rest of his body, the fire began to wash over his chest as well, partially healing the scars that were put upon him from the Devil Slayers punch.

Then, the fire started to approach his face. In a pure instinctual move, Natsu began to swallow and eat the flames. In the back of his mind, he knew that he wouldn't be able to feast on the fire but the front of his head overpowered that with sudden thoughts of hunger and longing. Feeling the flames wash down his throat, Natsu began to feel warm.

And powerful.

Ripping open his eyelids, Natsu let out a war-cry as his whole body became enveloped in purple fire. It ripped its way back down his arms and as Natsu held out his fist he watched it before an even larger body of indigo and violet fire that mashed and mixed with black flames. Taking a single step forward, Natsu's eyes met that of a destroyed and decaying house. Leaping forward with a new sense of passion and pride, the pinkette lashed out at the structure as a formation of words tore themselves from his mouth.

" **Fire God's Explosive Fist!"**

Splitting off from his body as his fist hit the structure, the God's Fire escaped from his grasp and shot forward with just as much speed as Natsu did moments earlier. It just flew through the air with such speed and grace, constantly spitting sparks and igniting the world below it as it went. Eventually, it reached a tree, its trunk thick and unbreakable. Colliding with said tree, the fire consumed the whole fire before causing a colossal explosion that filled the world with a boom. As the smoke began to clear, Natsu could only watch on in shock.

Let's just say; there was no more tree… or much around where it once was either.

Glancing down at his hands shakenly, Natsu just began to grin like an idiot.

"I-I can use God Slaying Magic… I can use God Slaying Magic… I CAN USE GOD SLAYING MAGIC!"

Yelling his joy into the sky, he looked up to see the dark skies devoid of clouds and suddenly a new desire filled his body. Rushing forward, the pinkette began to skid on his knees through the snow. Behind his chest, he felt a thick heat begin to form and come into being before rising up to his throat and eventually passing his teeth. With another cry that could shake the very skies themselves, Natsu yelled.

" **FIRE GOD'S BELLOW!"**

Destructive black flames flew free throw his mouth and burned the very sky itself. The heat distorted the view and scorched the air as it just kept going and going, further and further into the air. Smiling and panting as he watched it dissipate soon after, Natsu lay on his back to try and catch his breath.

"This *pant* is FUCKING AWESOME!" He shouted to himself, the frozen world around him forgotten in his excitement. But then a thought came up; if he could now use Fire God Slaying Magic… could he no longer use Dragon Slaying Magic? In a fit of fear, Natsu thought of his previous fire and held up his hand. Seconds later, a ball of fire began to summon itself and Natsu let himself sigh in relief.

Making the flame disappear, Natsu grew a wide grin; he had heard of Dragon Slayers with multiple elements since being away from the Guild, one rumour had a guy who had 8 different variations of Dragon Slaying Magic, but he had never heard of a Dragon-God Slayer before… So that meant that he was likely the very first one. Laying back down, Natsu let his eyes close shut and he let himself listen to the world around him go on.

Suddenly, a thought came to mind.

Sitting up for the second time, Natsu coated him right hand in his new God Slaying Fire and his left in his traditional Dragon Slaying Fire. After staring at their differing shades for a few seconds, he begins to bring his hands together, expecting something similar to what happened on Tenrou.

However, that is not what happened.

As his palms touched each other, the two breeds of fire jumped at each other. Natsu continued to stare on as tendrils of each flame wrapped and attacked the opposite fire. A miniature war was being waged between his fingers and Natsu couldn't help but look on in amazement. Eventually the turmoil seized and the flames went out. Then in a flash of red, a new breed began to form. Emerging from his knuckles, an uncontrollable mass of crimson began to spawn and contort itself around his body. Natsu's amazement had no bounds as he just froze and let the fire consume him.

This was something new; a combination of Dragon Slaying Fire and God Slaying Fire. This was… revolutionary.

Standing up slowly, his iris' stuck to his hands, Natsu began to slowly walk forward, intent of trying something. Forming a fist with his right hand, he threw it back suddenly and he felt the fire collect into a fierce ball of dark scarlet. Smirking with a sinister grin, the pinkette threw himself forward.

" **Draconic Fire God's Frenzied Fist!"**

More fire obscured his vison with a red haze as a small explosion formed before him out of the air as several strands of the fire shot off of his hands in a similar fashion to the **God Slayer's Explosive Fist** and they began to seek out imaginary target before combusting into an equally destructive blast. After the dust and ash cleared, Natsu stood alone in a field devoid of snow and ice, instead the earth was dark and brown while the air burned with searing heat. He stood there for a long time, just going over the new revelations in his head as the red fire dissipated not of his accord but Natsu expected this; it was new magic, very likely to be the first of its kind, so it was completely untamed and it would drain and suck at his magic reserves just to do that one attack and pile the new revelation of him being able to use pure God Slaying Fire on top of that and that leaves a very drained mage.

Natsu's mind was on a whole other plain though. With this power, with this ability, with this blessing, he could finally truly protect everyone. Even after that one move, he could tell that it was far superior to any other attack he had in his arsenal so if he could just control it… He could. Smiling a sad smile this time, Natsu began to turn around. Finally, he could protect-

And then his eyes reconnected with the sight of the ruined and destroyed village. Homes burnt and decimated while piles of ash that used to be the inhabitants littered the earth. Tears suddenly pricked at Natsu's eyes as he stared. No… no he couldn't protect anyone. They had all died because he wasn't fast enough.

But now…

Looking down at the faint remains of his crimson flames, he clenched his hand into a fist once more. Now he would protect anyone and everyone he came across, not just his family but those that he didn't even know to a greater extent then before and he would use this new power to punish those who would dare hurt another person for selfish and evil intent. He would do it for them… he would do it for them all.

Taking a few steps forward while he let his tears fall onto his skin, now hotter than it ever was before, and vanish into a small trail smoke as he approached the town. He walked past the ash piles and back to area where he awoke. One thing that surprised him though, was the bodies that hadn't become ash.

They took the form of hooded figures littering the place where he once lay. Black hoods with a blue eye and different patterns etched onto the cloth. As he looked at them all, he could see that their clothes and skin was burnt and marked and scarred by fire… that had a faint purple glow. A sick realisation came to his mind; Natsu had done this to them. And what's worse? He could only hear one heartbeat… One. One out of about a dozen, one person was left. Gritting his teeth together, Natsu began to step over the other bodies as he approached the lone heartbeat.

Finally making it to the body that sat the furthest away from his original position, he could see the damage that was done. The body was that of a female, but the way her body was scarred and burnt would make it very tough to figure out if not for her figure. Much like her allies, her flesh was barely there and everything looked sick and red. Crouching down, Natsu reached out to touch her face to make sure that she was still here.

"Hey… can you hear me?"

After a few seconds, a pair of emerald eyes opened up and began to groggily move over to his own. When they met his though, he noticed that they were glossed over and that her burns continued to her eyes. She had been blinded.

"Y-yes." She stuttered out before she began to cough up blood. He had sure fucked these people up…

"You're going to be okay." Natsu said, trying to reassure her but he knew that was a lie. She also could see that he was lying.

"No I'm not… I'm going to die."

An eerie silence filled the air as Natsu decided to remain quiet. After a few seconds, she spoke again.

"At least I died serving Lord Hyperion."

Suddenly, Natsu remembered something. Looking around, he remembered seeing their mark on the back of that psychopath who destroyed the town's cloak.

' _So… they were all with him.'_

Standing up, Natsu narrowed his eyes at the girl who couldn't even notice.

"Lord, huh?"

"Yes… Lord Hyperion, the Demonic Titan. He is a powerful man… an even stronger mage." She spoke with a smile, pride and passion in her voice.

"What'd he do… to earn such a name?" Natsu asked, intrigued by this new threat that has attacked him.

"Oh… He is known for slaying mighty beasts that even the God's might not be able to beat in very brutal and… dangerous ways."

"I highly doubt that they are that dangerous." Natsu commented, looking on confused; man this guy had these people wrapped around his finger.

"But they are!" The girl shouted, finally acknowledging his existence with a glare that she somehow managed to get out.

"Alright, go on."

"However, he only slays the demons after he… tortures them." Natsu looked back at her. "He burns them, he makes their skin melt and twist and contort and makes them give up information before killing them." A smile fell over Natsu's face.

' _So, he's probably some sort of agent or something that gets information from Demons for his 'Master' or something… Interesting."_ He was about to listen to what the rest of the girl's speech but then his mind began to wander. _"Wait. She said that he burns the skin of demons… Does she mean that his magic can just burn demon skin, or can it burn everything?'_

Looking down to his vaguely healed arms, his eyes narrowed. He would need to look into this later.

"-Lord Hyperion has helped Alvarez so much." The girl finished, her eyes dropping as she spoke.

"Wait, Alvarez? Where's Alvarez?" Natsu asked, hoping to get the places location so he could go after the bastard.

"Alvarez… The Greatest Nation in all Earthland…" That was all that she managed to get out. With a sigh, Natsu just looked down on her.

"Don't worry about it; now just sleep." Natsu softly let out as he watched the girl succumb to the end of her life. However, she let out one thing before dying.

"Thank you… Oh Lord."

Then the heartbeat went flat.

Picking his eyes up to the distance, Natsu's eyes narrowed further.

"Lord Hyperion, huh?" Natsu scoffed. "Well, Oh Great Lord, I think it's time for me to come and bow before you… Before I burn you to cinders." With growl, Natsu began to set off down the snowy peak to the land below. These 9 months had changed him… Whether that was for good or not is to be seen.

As he walked, he began to think again. If he ate Zancrow's flames, God Slaying Flames, and 9 months later he managed to obtain the ability to use said fire could he eat the flames of Hyperion and gain the ability to use Devil Slaying fire? Only time will tell. Feeling the snow around his feet flee and melt away into nothingness, he also began to think back to what the girl said. Alvarez… He would need to do some research but he should be able to find it easy enough; it was probably some place out of Fiore considering the fact that he had never heard of it.

Gritting his teeth, Natsu began to push his body further and began to walk faster. Suddenly, crimson fire enveloped his whole form and burnt the whole world around him.

"Get ready Hyperion." He managed to get out before rushing into a sprint with the fire washing behind him as he ran.

' _Cause I am going to kill you.'_

* * *

 **And done! Whoo! Chapter 5 done! Now I will have to ask you to give me some creative liberty on the flame colour; when you mix orange and purple it tends to make brown so... Red would be far cooler and far more menacing. Also, I know that in cannon when he combines the two they stay their same colours but now that he can use God Slaying Magic at free will he can control it better and so his magic combines with each other far easier. Or its FanFiction bullshit... Probably that.**

 **I do have a new schedule in place so this should be going up either every Sunday or every 2 weeks on Sunday. This is gonna give me time to update my other ones but I am really into this one so I may update this at random times just cause I have an idea or something, dunno. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed, next chapter should be another time skip and should have Natsu in his new clothes, show him using his new Dragon-God Slaying abilities and go back to see how good old Fairy Tail is doing. So I will see you then!**

 **-Jack**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello and welcome back to Slayer's Flame!**

 **So this is gonna have to be sort of short cause I am writing this on my phone, on holiday, so it is far harder to access the reviews and stuff so I will answer all of them next time.**

 **However, I just wanna say thanks again and I do hope to keep this trend of one chapter every week going so thank you all for the support and enjoy.**

* * *

The air crackled with power.

Heat and thunder filled the skies as black clouds of ominous origin blanketed the one great blue above. Strand's of stray lightning struck the earth violently, leaving a scar that would not fade for years to come. It all felt like a war ground.

In the middle of this fight for dominance against the skies and the rocky below, sat a town. This town was a simple, suburban traveler's town that supplied those who decided to backpack it across the world with supplies but at the minute it was the only safe havens from these… things. Shop windows had been smashed, lamp posts had been knocked over and a goods shop had been set ablaze from the raining electricity. And it was all because of them.

At the moment, all of the town were huddled together in the town hall; the only building with at least some magical defense so the townsfolk had hoped to just wait it out until the 'storm' passed. Of course, being a small town like they were, they knew that it would be impossible for them to fight against creatures of such power and intensity. After the 3rd time of this constant natural extortion, they knew what they had to do.

So… they had sent out S-Class requests. The town itself was wealthy from all the items that they managed to sell to travellers and these monsters hadn't come to steal, only show off who was King in the wastes, so the fee was no problem.

But no one had come.

And now they were practically out of options. The beasts had come back another 6 times since then and that was 3 months ago. Now they were all fearing for their safety; their already slim magic reserves that protected the town hall and they couldn't go out to get more because in the last 2 months the Demons had put up guards at every exit and every person they had sent back had come back with the wind as nothing but ash.

However… tragedy breeds the greatest heroes.

"AEREN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

A feminine voice shot out above all others as the doors of the hall flew open and a young boy of about 7 came storming out. His skin was fair and his eyes were of a pale green however his features were burdened by tears and gritted teeth. Shortly after a woman tried to follow but she was stopped by others.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! AEREN IS OUT THERE!"

The woman continued to scream and parade against the multitude of hands that held her back and tongues that belittled her.

"What are we doing?! We're saving your damn life!"

"Aeren will come running back at anytime now!"

"We can't have both of die if he does end up meeting them!"

With a grunt, the woman forced her way passed an sprinted forward all the while avoiding the shouts and screams of her townsfolk. She didn't have to run far, however. Only about 50 meters from the double doors of the town's hall was the boy, Aeren, frozen in place amongst the destruction and carnage. And before him was one of them.

It was a massive beast that seemed as if it could almost touch the sky itself from where they all stood, its 15 meter frame towering over the cowering boy. Its head was like that of a Wyvern, its small eyes narrow and completely white while yellow scales adorned its mask only breaking out to let the long muzzle and sharp white fans become known. However the head seemed to give the impression of being stitched on and the scales were also seemingly added artificially. The rest of it's body was covered in yellow with only its underside white and fleshy, and sharp spikes protruded from the elbows of the creature with its hands planted firmly in the floor like the way a great ape would walk. After its seemingly endless back came to a close, a long tail with a sharp black tip coiled itself back around to come before the beast's hind legs which were bent and unnatural. As it stood, the air slowly began to fill with lightning, electricity coursing off of the monsters form. It in all sense of the word was a beast.

And it wasn't even the only one.

It was one of a pack of about 12, all rated at about a low S-Rank and capable of levelling the city if they really tried but they hadn't done it in the 9 times that they had come here.

That's not to say that they were below killing a child though.

Aeren stood there will a unreleased breath in his throat and frozen tears in his eyes as he looked back at the creatures unreadable eyes. All other noises became void to the two.

"Y-Y-You killed m-my Papa, so I-I'm g-gonna kill you all." He let out but fear spread through his tone like a virus. Another few seconds were spent in silence before a voice broke out.

"AEREN!"

Both figures turned to are the boys mother embrace him in a warm hug.

"M-Mama."

"What the Hell are y-"

The subtle shuffling of the ground sent the words crawling back into her throat. The beast was right above them. He was going to kill them. They were going to die. Holding her child close to her chest, the mother began to whisper sweet nothings into his ear.

"It's all going to be okay, Aeren."

One step.

"Mama I'm sorry."

Two steps.

"It's okay Aeren; it's okay."

Final step. The sound of a hand being raised and the crackle of thunder was distantly heard but the two were so distracted with each other that they didn't notice it.

"I love you Aeren."

"I-I love you Mam-"

Fire.

.

.

.

.

.

Nothing.

Opening their eyes with shared shocked expressions, the mother son duo looked up to see the cause of why they were still alive. Needless to say, they were relapsed into speechlessness.

Before them stood a man, his frame tall but lean. His head was covered by a hood that emerged from a sleeveless dark crimson leather hoodie, allowing his shoulders to be seen in their entirety. Meanwhile, his legs were covered by a simple pair of black shorts that ended at his knees but at his feet were a pair of crimson hightops, similar in colour to his hood. His shorts also held a white, scaly scarf as a belt. However, what stood out to them were the bandages that covered his arms with the one on his right going all the way up to the top of his shoulder and the left started at his elbow but both ended at the middle of each hands palm. However, even as he just stood there, he gave off this sense of overwhelming power. They also noted the immense heat that washed over them, basking them in temperatures that they had ever faced before.

And then the fact that that the beast's arm was gone. The arm was gone. But there was no blood spurting out! And then that also noticed that the wound was cauterized. Just who the Hell was this guy?!

All was silent for a few second before the beast began to scream and cry in pain and agony, stepping away from the trio to look down upon his missing limb. As the sounds of screeching roared to the skies, the man turned around and pulled his hood down.

"Hey are you two okay down there?"

His voice was soft but commanding and powerful all at the same time and held this childlike wonder while still managing to be mature. His face was very much the same; very sharp and angular with the features of a softer sort of man. Onyx eyes sat under a raised brow and underneath his right eye sat a small scar of about 4cm in length. Although, the mother and son duo were once again only really drawn to one thing: the man's pink hair. It was wild and unruly with spikes and jitters of pink flying e everywhere but it fit his face perfectly.

Before they could respond a loud roar filled the sky. Turning back with a bored expression, the pink haired man saw that the creature was staring at him with such hatred in his pale almost unreadable eyes. Twisting back to the two, he simply shrugged before looking towards the hall.

"You two get inside while I deal with this… thing." Standing up from a crouch, he started to walk away but a hand on his fingers halted his movements.

"W-What are you talking about!? These things are all S-Class and there are about a dozen of them! How the Hell do you think that you are going to defeat all of those?!" The mother screamed but the man didn't deter in the slightest.

He didn't say anything instead turning back to face the monster. "Get to the hall."

His tone left no room for argument and it even shocked the duo who had only expected him to fall back the second that he heard that he was dealing with so many S-Class monsters but he wasn't scared in the slightest. Picking Aeren up and holding him close to her chest, she began to back away but once again the voice of a little boy rang out.

"Mr Man…" The name swivelled on his heels again to see the boy smiling a wide smile at him. "Kick their asses."

Returning the kids smile with his own, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Names Natsu kid."

Turning back around, he heard the pitter patter of the mothers heels behind him and the ways the two were welcomed back into the hall. However, the doors did not shut. With a sigh, Natsu spoke.

"Might as well give 'em a show."

Closing his onyx eyes as he let heat and energy consume him, crimson fire began to burst forth from his body. It acted as if it had its own mind as it twisted and snaked around the pinkette's frame until it completely enveloped him. Blistering heat shot from all around his still frozen form to the extent that the concrete that lay beneath his feet began to melt and harden again all in a matter of seconds. Everyone in the village looked on in shock and awe; even the monster looked frozen.

Suddenly, Natsu's eyes shot open and he too shot forward with it. He covered the 50 meters between him and the beast in mere seconds and before the beast could react, Natsu was standing at his exposed stomach.

 **"Draconic Fire God's Riot Daggers!"**

The fire around Natsu's head began to flare up as the man rammed his skull into the beast's exposed stomach, ripping the skin apart as he continued to assault the skin with small but powerful bursts of force. His body was moving so fast that he was just a blur on the battlefield, a body of fire that ripped apart anything in his way. Eventual he seized his assault on the dazed beast only to step back a few steps and let the flames collect at his head in the shape of a longhorn and at his feet where the fire pooled down to his heels. Taking in a deep breath, Natsu leapt at the beast again with more power than before.

 **"Draconic Fire God's Outbreak Blade!"**

Jumping back towards the monster's chest, he let the fire at his feet accelerate him upwards. When the fiery sword hit the beast, it cut through any flesh left at the chest in one clean sweep but Natsu just continued to move forward. His frame rocketed through the bones and muscles until he emerged out of the other side, visible by the massive hole in the monster's chest. He wasn't done however. Smirking, he let his own fire die down while small sparks of scarlet fire were beginning to flare up inside the beast. These specks of light soon grew until-

 ***BANG***

Landing in the ground with a roll, Natsu leaned back to admire his work. All that was left of the monster was their bottom half, they legs and tail standing free on their own before the fire that had consumed the top half began to eat away at those limbs too until nothing remained. Not one bit. Looking past them with a smile, he chuckled at the shocked expression on every villagers face and the gleeful awe on the face of Aeren.

"That good enough for ya?" He asked the boy with a smile to which he got a lot of very quick nods back. However, they were all interrupted.

 ***ROAR***

Another bored expression crossed Natsu's face as he twisted his back to look upon a group of about 3 more of these creatures, all looking like perfect copies of the first. Skulking forward, Natsu threw himself into a sprint as he ran towards the creatures before skidding on his knees through the concrete, which melted like snow informs of his knee. As he approached the creatures who had started to make their own way towards him, he started to suck in air and felt fire become born from his lungs before he shouted out to the skies.

 **"Draconic Fire God's Bellowing Roar!"**

Crimson shot forth from his mouth like a fountain, spewing sparks and scarlet flickers onto the ground as the neared their targets. As it approached, the fire began to twist and coil around itself until it hit the three foes dead on. The flames ate away at their scales and flesh, burning them all away until only muscle and bone were visible. Unfortunately for the one at the front, the ruby had completely devoured his entire being leaving, nothing but ash behind.

Smirking, Natsu leapt back into a run until he neared the two star struck monsters, he felt the flames around his arms constrict and begin to flow on their own.

 **"Draconic Fire God's Hacking Talons!"**

Leaping up to the firsts now exposed face, the pinkette's threw his arms into a downward position and watched in glee as fire ripped down it's form, tearing into into here sections before the same same lickers of fire from before emerged in the three sections; soon exploding into a bright red light which devoured the beasts frame. not slowing down, the mixed slayer jumped towards the last one with a sadistic smile.

 **"Draconic Fire God's Winged Scythe!"**

Grabbing the beast by the face, Natsu squeezed and shoved his fingers in its eyes before lighting his whole form aflame. The flesh around his face began to melt and fall, causing the beast to scream and try to fight back but Natsu just jumped up from the beasts attempt to hit him with lightning. Planting his heel onto the monster's head, the pinkette's leapt up before performing a front flip with his opposite leg set aflame in the shape of a scythe which was then firmly skewered into the skull of the creature; killing it.

Landing, Natsu breathed heavily as the sound of crackling fire filled the skies.

"Well… At least that's do-"

 ***ROAR***

"Oh come on!"

Spinning in a circle, Natsu stood slack jawed as the entire remaining populous of the monsters rushing at him from all sides. The villagers yelled and screamed for him to move as tens of strands of falling electricity started to descend towards him. But the pinkette's just stood still, frozen.

Suddenly, time seemed to slow as crimson fire began to collect around Natsu's form, twisting and turning to give off the image of some sort of heavenly dragon. Then, Natsu opened his eyes. Gone were his eyes of onyx and now sat two orbs of red, scarlet like his fire and they were streaming with discarded smoke of a similar red colouration.

And with a calm voice, the Slayer spoke.

 **"Draconic God's Secret Arts, Ashbringers Fall: Amaterasu's Radiant Flame."**

Collecting all the surrounding flames, scarlet began to build up into a deadly ball of heat in between Natsu's palms in on a few second. It was small, but it held so much power and intensity. Letting out a fierce battle cry just as the lightning was about to hit, Natsu smashed the orb into the earth resulting in a fierce array of fire and flames to spew out and consume the whole landscape.

Then…Silence.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Hehe, what a joke."

As the smoke cleared, only Natsu stood victorious in the centre. Around him lay the charred corpses of those who attempted to overpower him and the piles of ash that were the ones closest to his body when the attack went off. The surrounding buildings also sustained very little damage with only a few burn marks and few wisps of fire dancing atop their old frames. These wisps quickly vanished with one sucked up breath from Natsu.

And just like that, they were all dead.

Looking down at one if the corpses that were far enough away from him to actually survive, Natsu wandered over and turned the massive beast onto its back only to scowl at what he saw; the symbol of a yellow eye, outlined in black.

The mark of the Titans of Alvarez

The Titans of Alvarez are a squad of mages under the thumb of the Emperor Spriggan and act as a force for the emperor in Covert Ops and small scale war situations that the Spriggan 12, who were another group formed by the emperor, couldn't go to…

Each Titan has a unique colour but each one had the same signal of an eye in their colour. Hyperion was one of them. And so was whoever made all of these chimeras…

Thinking back, Natsu couldn't help but think about the year that he had spent going after the Devil Slayer. He had followed as many leads as he possibly could to find him; he had gone through his men that he had stationed on the different continents to learn all the information that he had so far. Non lethally, of course.

Now he had another lead in the form of these chimeras. However, he knew that even he couldn't take on an entire squad of the Emperors on his own at this point, even if they were his lesser group and even though he had been training like Hell for every day of that year and the year before that. He was strong… maybe as strong as Gildarts is at his weakened state but going against up to 10 people who were just as

strong? Nah, he'd die.

But soon… Soon he would be strong enough to go to Alvarez.

Before he could divulge any further, the sound of cheering and clapping bought him out of his musings. Twisting on his heels, he saw the forms of all the townsfolk cheering for him.

"Oh thank you, sir! Thank you so much!"

"You saved us all! You saved us all!"

"We will never be able to repay you…"

Natsu just smiled before he felt a small weight at his feet. Looking down, he already knew who it was.

"Natsu you're amazing! When I grow up, I want to be a Fairy Tail Mage like you!" Aeren spoke with such vigor and passion- Wait did he say Fairy Tail?

With a puzzled look, Natsu turned down to see his bandages had been burnt off (probably from the lightning due to them being enchanted to not burn from his own fire) and now his scarred skin and Fairy Tail mark was visible. His skin wasn't horribly scarred but it did have the odd lines and grooves in it that had been hiding under his bandages. However, Natsu didn't mind them; what he did mind was doing what he as doing under the Fairy Tail name so he hid the mark under bandages to avoid suspicion and kept his hood up at most times.

"Uh… Yeah. Listen, I'm kind of on a training mission at the moment and I don't want anyone to know that I'm with Fairy Tail. You know, cause I wanna surprise them when I'm back. So can you please not tell anyone?" Natsu put his hands together in a praying motion.

"Wait… So you weren't here to complete the job?"

Looking up, Natsu's eye met the mother of Aeren.

"No… Did you send out a job request?" He got many nods back. "Hm… Well it is a long way away from Fiore so they wouldn't have gotten here in a few days that for sure." Suddenly an idea struck him.

"Listen; if… No, WHEN, the Fairy Tail mages come by, give 'em the money from the job cause technically I just completed this job as a Fairy Tail Mage but I can't accept it so give to them… Okay?"

"O-Okay?"

"Yes! Thank you! Now… Does anyone know a place to eat? I'm starved."

Just an average day for the wandering Mage known as Natsu Dragneel.

* * *

 **So there we go. Hope this was okay considering the fact that I am in my phone. Now, let me go through Natsu's new spells.**

 **Draconic Fire God's Riot Daggers - A new form of Natsu's Fire Dragon's Sword Horn but instead of one large attack, he hits the target with a smaller blade a multitude of times to weaken and tear the flesh.**

 **Draconic Fire God's Outbreak Blade - Another new form of Sword Horn but now it is more traditional with one huge blast of power that completely rips through the target but after Natsu has made impact, small little flares are left behind which explode after a few seconds.**

 **Draconic Fire God's Bellowing Roar - A combination of Fire Dragon's Roar and Fire God's Bellows. A massive fountain of fire is spewed from Natsu's mouth, burning everything in sight.**

 **Draconic Fire God's Hacking Talons - An advanced version of Fire Dragon's Claw where Natsu cuts down his foes with 3 talons of fire that melt and cut through the target.**

 **Draconic Fire God's Winged Scythe - An advanced version of Fire Dragon's Wing Attack. Natsu grabs onto the targets body and lights himself on fire, consuming the target before striking them with a scythe made of fire from either his leg or his arm.**

 **Draconic God's Secret Arts, Ashbringers Fall: Amaterasu's Radiant Flame - A new secret art where Natsu summons a powerful ball of fire in his hand and smashes it into the earth, creating a powerful explosion that consumes everything for at most 3 miles. Works in a similar way to Fairy Law where the attack will only damage what the user deems evil.**

 **These are not all of Natsu's attacks. Next chapter we should see Natsu starting to uncover his E.N.D history and see how Fairy Tail reacts to this mystery man doing their job for them. Also, votes have been counted so continue voting for a few chapters time. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will see you next Sunday!**

 **-Jack**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello everybody and welcome back!**

 **Now I know that this is a little bit late (and by a little I mean 5 days...) and I apologise for that but that Sunday was the day that I got back from my holiday and I was really jet-lagged and then pile that onto GCSE year homework and you get a really relaxation killing schedule. But I am uploading now and I will still be uploading on this Sunday and I am very excited for then.**

 **Anyway, I have recounted up the harem counts.**

 **Irene:6**

 **Lucy:4**

 **Levy:4**

 **Wendy:4**

 **Chelia:2**

 **Cana:7**

 **Juvia:3**

 **Laki:2**

 **Kinana:4**

 **Meredy:3**

 **Hisui:4**

 **Jenny:3**

 **Sherry:1**

 **Kagura:4**

 **Yukino:4**

 **Sorano:4**

 **Dimaria:9**

 **Minerva:9**

 **Kyouka:2**

 **Sayla:7**

 **Virgo:4**

 **Aquarius:2**

 **Aries:3**

 **Libra:1**

 **Pieces(Mother):1**

 **Kamakia:3**

 **Cosmos:3**

 **Flare:5**

 **Now as you can see, all 5 girls from last time (Ultear, Mira, Erza, Lisanna and Brandish) are gone and that is because they are already in the harem.** **PERMANENTLY. A few people have been suggesting some of these girls but I just wanted to point out that they are already completely confirmed and now it is just the remaining members. As for who is leading at the minute, it is:**

 **Dimaria**

 **Minerva**

 **Sayla**

 **As for the moment, these 3 are in the top for the harem and I don't mind making up stories for these girls but unlike the first 5, these can change. The next 3 members will be confirmed for Chapter 10 so keep voting until then and I may do more people after that but yea, just to let you know.**

 **Reviews!**

 **AnimeCollector: Eh, i just forgot.**

 **O: I had a look and it is a Fannon ability (not cannon, OC abilities) and is owned by some people who don't like having people use their characters wothout permission so I am not going to use them but I do have a good idea based of this so thank you for that.**

 **Naruto: Why? Scars are cool. I may or may not do that, I dunno. I like scars. They're cool.**

 **Before I get onto the next chapter, I just want to say that the manga is pretty crazy right now with reveals left, right and centre and I am eating it all up. Like last chapter was crazy! Such a cool reveal.**

 **Anyway, chapter 7!**

* * *

Metal scratched against metal, the train shaking almost violently as it went.

The carriage rocked and swayed with aggressive intent while loud, scraping sounds filled the air with screeching and pain but everybody occupying it… felt void. They just swayed with the swaying hunk of steel and shook when the train convulsed on the stationary tracks.

A certain scarlet haired beauty sat on the carriage, just staring out at the world as it whizzed by. The greens and blues were just mixing together in one big blur of colours and light as the edges bent and warped to accommodate the speed. Usually, a thrill would arise from seeing something like this or some sort of passive contempt for the ongoing story being written outside her little box but there was just nothing… nothing but questions.

Sighing, Erza yanked her eyes from the blurred view of the world from the window and turned her attention to the rest of her team who were all in a similar state. Lucy was just resting her head on her hand as she looked longingly at the scenery although her eyes appeared to just be drifting away while Gray looked as if he was asleep but judging from his posture and his breathing, Erza knew he was awake, and Wendy and Carla just sat there making small talk about what just happened.

They were coming back from an S-Class job that they were meant to do that would last them all at least a month according to the job request and was going to net them around 10 million Jewels. Team Natsu had been tasked with killing a dangerous group of S-Class monsters that had been terrorising a town with lightning magic. However… they encountered a problem when they got there.

The job had already been completed.

As soon as they got there, she saw a burnt and damaged town that had scorch marks littering the floor and the buildings as well as remnants of bodies burned into the floor in some kind of sinister art show. Broken streets, shattered windows and displays that could only have been destroyed by the beasts but now it was quiet and peaceful. At first, they thought that they were all too late but when the Mayor came out and asked for their Guild.

Then… then it just got weirder.

After they revealed that they were Fairy Tail mages, the whole town came out and started to clap and cheer them while the Mayor revealed that the job had already been completed by someone a few weeks earlier. Surprise was the first thing they felt, then shock, then confusion. How did a mage complete this S-Class job without anyone knowing about it? And then he gave them the whole reward! All 10 million of it! Of course with them being Fairy Tail mages who didn't complete the job, they gave the town the money to repair it but it was still shocking that a mage allowed them to have the money.

Now, they were on their way back to Magnolia and just thinking about what happened. All had been silent in the carriage for a few hours before Wendy spoke up.

"S-So what are you all thinking about?" Sweeping her eyes over to the Sky Maiden, Erza couldn't help but smile. The young Dragon Slayer had just started to mature, reaching 14 not too long ago and had been growing taller and filling out if only very slightly. The blunette had still kept her caring personality and charming feel, though and it even grew with age. However, everyone could see that she lacked a certain spark ever since 2 years ago, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

"Just the job, Wendy. Nothing too important." The scarlet haired woman replied with a smile but then Lucy spoke up.

"What about it?" The blonde asked with confusion yet practically everyone knew what she was thinking about; after all, everyone else was thinking about it. Lucy had stayed relatively the same for the last 2 years, retaining her provocative nature and cheerful outlook but much like everyone else in the Guild, she felt that something was gone.

"The guy who completed the job for us, right?" Gray muttered into his chest, eyes still shut. After he had healed, he headed off for some training and he had at least gotten a lot better at his tolerance for discarding his clothes… but not by a lot.

"Yes… I'm very intrigued by him. By the looks of what happened to the town, he used a form of Fire magic." Erza talked about, gazing thoughtfully up to the velvet skyline.

"And if he could take down 12 S-Class monsters, then he must have been really powerful." Wendy added, placing her hands on her knees.

"But he didn't appear to be on an official job because he didn't take the money." Lucy chimed in, leaning back to look at everyone.

Gray merely grunted in response.

It seemed like it was obvious to them, but it TOO obvious for them to accept it. Fire magic? Powerful mage? Knew of jobs money and official jobs that happened in Fairy Tail? It could so clearly be… him. But no, that might just be them dwelling on the past and hoping for something that might not even exist.

"Well anyway, at least we don't have to spend a month away from home: I need to pay rent anyway." The Celestial mage murmured before turning back to the window with Erza shortly following. However, one thought bubbled into their minds for the whole journey back.

Could Natsu be back?

* * *

Fire flowed freely like blood through his veins as he unleashed Hell on the world around him.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Natsu paused his onslaught of nature for a moment to witness the carnage that he had helped to create in perfect unison with the flames. It was devastating. Smoke billowed off of the smouldering earth, fires rode wood like a whore as they spread far and wide across the camp and the ash of burnt leather and cloth infected the skyline. The air had a thick, smoky smell that mixed with charcoal that gave the pinkette a sense of relaxation in a world that was literally catching on fire and dying on the spot.

And to think… all of this and he hadn't killed a single soul.

Shifting his onyx eyes all around him, he took note of the now broken and decrepit camp thanks to the fire. This was only one of many encampments that he had 'visited' since his first meeting with Hyperion and held a group of his followers. Originally, he had come to this place to get some more information on the Spriggan, or better yet the Emperor of Alvarez. Although he had been going to these camps and wreaking havoc on his men, Natsu hadn't seen the Devil Slayer at all but he had found tens of search parties composed of Hyperion's own personal cult following him at almost all times. Every time they would follow him, they would attempt to be stealthy and remain unseen like their Master before them.

Spoilers; they failed.

Little by little, whether it be a date or a location scribbled on a burnt piece of paper or from the mouth of one of his followers, Natsu had started to gather more and more details on the mysterious place where Hyperion came from as well as what sort of teams was he a part of, what his past deeds were like and why the Hell he had such a large following.

With this information that he had been gathering for well over a year, the pinkette had learned that Hyperion was the code name of a man born in the North of Alvarez about 30 or so years ago due to wedlock. He was a self-taught Devil Slayer who was pretty weak when he grew up but after his mother was brutally murdered by a Demon, he just sorts of left the district that he grew up in and never came back. However, 20 years later he re-emerged in another part of Alvarez and those years had formed him into a powerful Demon Hunter. For the start of his 'career' he had taken up low paying jobs that involved the slaughter of Demons before the Emperor of Alvarez himself asked him to take part in some sort of team along with others of similar skills. This was the point where Hyperion took on the name and the Titans of Alvarez were born.

Around this time, a group of cults began popping up and claimed to worship the Titans as divine entities that saved many of them from eternal damnation. According to one guy, his town had started to see Hyperion as a God-Like figure from the very start of him showing up because he had killed a Demon that had been plaguing his town. The cult that worshipped Hyperion were known as the Eyes of Azure. According to the cult themselves, 'Lord Hyperion' was a reluctant leader but after seeing the devotion that his followers had for him he took the Eyes of Azure on as his followers.

Unfortunately, Natsu hadn't really learnt much about the other 6 Titans apart from the fact that they were all powerful mages that all had cults that worshipped them and that one of them used these followers in experiments to create Chimera's with… varying results. Apart from that and a kind of ghost lead on a woman who uses a phantom magic to vanish and make herself transparent, he had relatively nothing to go on.

Sighing as he let another stack of useless shreds of paper go up in flames, Natsu scanned the battlefield to find something that he could get a lead on… Well, anything that wasn't coated in thick red fire would be a good start. Sweeping over behind him, his eyes landed on a lone building that had get to be completely enveloped in crimson. With a smirk, Natsu began to make his way over to the tent.

As he was walking, however, he had to pass the knocked out forms of the followers that he had taken down from the Eyes of Azure. His feet seemed to slow to a crawl as he gazed upon every person's figure and features and he couldn't help but bit back a sound of pain as he looked upon them. Something that he had learned very early on was that the members of the Cult had to go through a self-inflicted… indoctrination process. And this process involved cleansing themselves in the 'Holy Fire of Hyperion' so they all set alight to their faces to show their dedication to the 'Demonic Titan' in the form of their fickle burns.

And just when he thought that it couldn't get any worse…

Pulling up his face, he noticed that he was standing only a few feet from the temporary shelter which was about to become smothered in bright fire. Lightly breathing in, Natsu couldn't help but feel proud of himself as the fire began to swirl and twist and uncoil from the cloth and enter his mouth before he spits out a huge lump of crimson sparks onto the earth. Even with his immense strength, he couldn't ignore the laws of a Slayer that said that they can't eat their own produced element but he had learned to at least take in his own fire to contain it. Of course, he always had to spit afterwards but hey… baby steps.

Now that the ash bringers were dispersing from the premises, Natsu had a chance to gaze upon this humble abode. It was the biggest tent in the whole encampment… well now it was the only standing tent on the premises as well. And as the pinkette stood by it, he noted that he could feel a faint sense of magic presence coming from the tent but not from a person; instead it came from the tent itself.

"Enchantment? Well at least they're learning." Natsu commented before he began to stroll up to the open door. As he put one foot through the opening, he felt a force try and push him back but Natsu just smirked and activated one of the hottest temperatures that he had; the flames became so hot that small wisps of white began to bounce of the edges and the earth beneath his feet began to crackle and crack with the intense rays. And with a sort of strange satisfaction, he watched as his all devouring flames began to break down the invisible runes guarding the tent which made the purple scripts see able as a result. Over the past year, Natsu discovered that if he held his fire to the hottest that it could, he could burn certain types of magic away but only weaker variants such as runes or enchantments. Natsu even had to stop for a second as flickers of his scarlet crawled all over the runes and just mercilessly breaking them down into nothingness. It was… beautiful almost…

Shaking his head again, Natsu looked down to see that his fist was clenched and his nails were almost drawing blood with how hard he was digging them into his palms. Deciding to ignore it, he continued inside. Like the rest of the larger encampment tents, it was filled to the brim with papers and books as well as a sleeping bag and a small desk that made it seem quite homely if you could ignore the raging inferno still going on outside. Passing a stack on his way to the desk, he took a piece of paper from the top and began to read it. It just appeared to be some costs for resources.

"Great… I'm gonna be here for quite a while."

After a while of searching through the seemingly endless sea of useless papers and information, Natsu finally came across some… interesting things. It appeared to be a burnt letter written in blue ink and signed by… Hyperion? It had a blue seal on the top right which was also melted and sticking to the paper and he could barely read it but the Slayer would manage.

" _Camp 13 I am writing to inform you of your other missions on week 5 of your journey to continue surveying Subject: Natsu Dragneel._ " The pinkette scoffed. Subject? What the Hell was he to them? Some test tube child or being made up from thin air? Chuckling he returned to the page.

" _You will not only be continuing to serve my orders by observing Subject: Natsu Dragneel's magic capabilities and his continuing growing strength but you are also to send a small team to go up to…_ Wait, Tartaros?" Sitting up from his seat to examine the page, he noticed that there was a piece of paper attached to the back and when he removed it, he wasn't exactly all that pleased to see the criss-crossing symbol of the Tartaros Guild. While they were a relatively unknown Dark Guild, they still made up a third of the Old Balam Alliance and considering what Fairy Tail went up against with the other two Guilds in that Alliance left Natsu knowing that this Guild was something to be feared. But what did a place like Alavarez want with Tartaros?

" _You have been chosen due to your location to said Guild but be warned; the Demons of Tartaros are very loyal to their Master E.N.D and will kill you if you are seen so try and remain stealthy. You are expected to survey the area where the Cube currently resides which is was last recorded at about 15 Kilometres North from your position and bring back information regarding the Demons that dwell in it. And once again, do not forget about the primary target of monitoring Natsu Dragneel. The Emperor Spriggan himself is the one who authorised both of these missions and I expect you to complete them to respect him to the highest regard. Do not fail."_

Putting the paper down, Natsu began to try and take in all of this new… stuff. The Emperor of Alvarez wanted to monitor his magic progress? Why? For what reason would an Emperor from a far off land that isn't anywhere even near Ishgar want with a relatively low spotlight mage like him? And what would the same Emperor want with Tartaros? From all the babbling that the Eyes did about the 'Spriggan' he seemed to be his almost holy deity that had the utmost faith and belief in his troops and had gained the respect of those in his kingdom to the point where they all believed that he could do no wrong. This just... wasn't adding up.

Quickly shifting through some more papers that appeared in the same pile as the letter he saw several strange symbols with names engraved into them next to the Tartaros symbol once more. Quickly skimming through it, he noted that they all mentioned something about Curse's but that's about all he could get out of it. Apart from that, it was just a track record of his own movements that they had planned to send off to their 'Demonic Lord.'

With narrowed eyes, Natsu stood up and began to walk towards the tent exit, setting alight the pieces of scrap that surrounded the tent as he walked. He had some questions that needed answering…

And Tartaros was going to answer some for him.

* * *

 **And we done. So, yes, I am introducing Tartaros a bit early but there are reasons and things so next chapter will have Natsu going to Tartaros and he may or may not be fighting some... Maybe... Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and remember to keep voting if you want anyone other then Mira, Ultear, Erza,, Lisanna or Brandish cause they are already in. So see-ya!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everybody and welcome back to A Slayer's Flame!**

 **Wow, already been writing this story for 2 months... weird feeling. Anyway, today will be the fight between Natsu and some peoples at Tartaros so I hope that you all will enjoy that. Now, harem counts have shot up so here is the current stance.**

 **Irene:14**

 **Lucy:6**

 **Levy:4**

 **Wendy:6**

 **Chelia:2**

 **Cana:10**

 **Juvia:4**

 **Laki:2**

 **Kinana:4**

 **Meredy:5**

 **Hisui:7**

 **Jenny:3**

 **Sherry:1**

 **Kagura:4**

 **Yukino:4**

 **Sorano:5**

 **Dimaria:15**

 **Minerva:10**

 **Kyouka:2**

 **Sayla:12**

 **Virgo:5**

 **Aquarius:2**

 **Aries:4**

 **Libra:1**

 **Pieces(Mother):1**

 **Kamakia:4**

 **Cosmos:4**

 **Flare:7**

 **So.. um.. yeah. The people you want in are really zooming ahead in the votes, I mean I swear to God Irene went from like 6 last time to 14! That is just sort of... wow. Anyway, here are the 3 in the lead at the minute.**

 **Irene**

 **Dimaria**

 **Sayla**

 **So... um. Yea. Vote. Choices will be permanent by Chapter 10 so keep voting.**

 **Now for reviews!**

 **O: Hm, well thank you for the suggestion an I would consider using it but the guy in the Fannon website clearly states that you need permission and I ain't going through all that hassel but thank you for the idea. Actually, your comments on abilities has actually helped me mold some Natsu's future moves and move-sets so I hope you like them when they eventually come round.**

 **BlueFireRinOkumura: Yep, he's E.N.D! And yes, you can vote for as many people as you want.**

 **Maxe03: Oh boy. Lots of Q's. Um.**

 **1\. Yes it is sort of stupid and over the top and ludicrous but its anime and Fairy Tail where people do stupid shit all the time. And with Natsu he just blames himself cause that is the way he is in the show; he blames himself if his family is hurt even if he couldn't do anything about it (For example when Levy and Team Shadow-G** **ear was abused by Gajeel)**

 **2\. He was pretty weak from his previous fights to think straight also he know what happened to him when he was on full magic and he tried to eat Zancrow's fire (P.S It hurt him alot) so he did not eat Hyperion's fire.**

 **3\. Like I said, Natsu was weak so his Devil Slaying magic would have over-powered him plus Hyperion is just an absurdly powerful mage compared to Natsu at that point in the story so he would easily overpower him, no matter Natsu's magic.**

 **4\. Yes the Fairy Tail members have gotten stronger but due to them being here and not kissing, the other Guilds see their training efforts and them get even stronger themselves so Blue Pegasus and Sabretooth will be even strong despite the 3 year drop from cannon.**

 **5\. Yes, when Igneel was inside Natsu's body he made anti-bodies which completely eliminated any chance of Natsu becoming a Dragon via Dragonificaton.**

 **6\. He is shocked due to him being able to summon them at will now and not having to eat Zancrow's fire right then to use them. And he didn't know he had that ability so he would be shocked.**

 **7\. Yes, his goal may be more selfish but by him going out to find Hyperion he is trying to make himself stronger to protect his friends and to stop him from butchering any other towns. Also, his goal was always sort of selfish if you think about it.**

 **8\. The God Slaying Fire... did something to him. I'll go into this a bit later.**

 **9\. Due to his God Slaying Magic, his Fire-Lightning Mode doesn't have as much power as it once had.**

 **10\. If he was able to go from struggling with Tartaros to being able to defeat a War-God in a single year, then 2 is going to do pretty well for him.**

 **11\. Yes, he still is ageing... At least he is now.**

 **There we go. Hope that answers some stuff.**

 **Now onto Chapter 8!**

* * *

Natsu's face became twisted and disturbed.

Bone crunching noises emitted from his feet as they lay down onto the dry, cracked ground below him and filled the air with death. Not that it needed much help, mind you; the stench of the deceased was so strong that it could physically wrap its hands around your neck and choke you out while tendrils of Demonic power ripped your insides apart. The forests trees were marked and scorched, black etchings dripping in and out of the bar and leaves while as a massive path was made in the centre as misshapen, cut up road. As for the trees themselves, dark green leaves coated the skies but instead of looking like the summer leaves that Natsu was used to seeing in Magnolia, they were eerie looking and bore into his very soul with such emerald passion and ambition that he found himself thinking of his path in life. This place looked, and felt, like somewhere in Hell itself.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Natsu continued down the 'Path to End's Road', he found himself reflecting on all the information that he had collected thus far as a means to avoid the fact that he could feel eyes boring into his back and figure. After following the instructions on the paper that he had acquired from Hyperion's fan club, he had started walking North for 15 kilometres, which in itself was a Godsend as not even the Magic Council knew where Tartaros was located. However, as he got closer and closer to that point, he noticed on thing that was abundantly clear: the amount of creatures, human or not, got significantly smaller as he approached the 15 kilometre mark. It was if the world was struggling to produce life, crawling on its last legs to make the creation of these new beings possible but she was bleeding out fast and before long she had died in a pool of her own crimson, leaving behind nothing other than darkness and death. Uncomfortable was the tamest word Natsu could use at this point.

Continuing his trek, the pinkette began to feel something other than iris' staring longingly into his form or the stench of demise; he began to feel a sense of purity, innocence in this decrepit wood. It was faint, very much so, but it existed. Something was trying to break free and Natsu didn't really know what to think of it but he knew that it felt… familiar. Running a hand through his messy locks, he let himself become immersed in his emotions for a little while longer.

Although, it wasn't long before his emotions were interrupted.

Placing his right foot down, Natsu felt a shift in the earth. While slight, he could feel something… moving. Shifting his gaze down to the earth, he could see a very clear line of missing earth evident by a large thin line that cut the forest in half. Pausing was all that the Slayer could do as he washed his vision over the changing planet; gone were the green leaves and trees, literally cut down the centre in some places and replaced by large rocks and structure of stone that lead to a rocky landmass that was very dissimilar to the muddy path that he was previously not standing on. Cautiously, Natsu walked forward for another few minutes with a constant feeling of being on edge and with the sounds of moving earth filling his ears.

Eventually, he reached a break in the rocks. Natsu stepped through them to see a massive pool of crystal clear water that flooded the open plain. Not being able to hold in his gasp at the new change in scenery, Natsu just stood there open mouthed and shocked.

"Damn… that's a change."

After a few seconds, he stepped to the edge of the water and looked down to see no visible slope to enter the liquid; instead, it was a clear vertical drop into an inky blackness below. That thick line continued as well, with liquid cutting against a missing forest in place of stone. Several other structures of rock like the one he currently resided in were dotted all around the lake with the biggest being in the centre of the lake… And by the looks of it, it inhabited something other than minerals and dirt.

It housed a building.

"Tartaros."

No longer truly caring about the darkness below as he leapt into the water and began swimming to the centre. He pushed through the surprisingly strong current for such a peaceful plain of water as he approached. As for how he knew that the building was Tartaros? The amount of dark magic and Demonic energy emitting from that place was hitting him so hard it was like a punch from Igneel and the scent of death was strongest here. Pushing forward, Natsu found himself encountering some small resistance from some simple runes but they were dealt with from the flicker of his fire, causing steam to rise from the water around him.

After a minute of swimming, he reached the centre island. Pulling himself until he was completely rooted on the island, Natsu wasted no time in looking the building up and down. The front had a long dirty field at its front that didn't seem that different then the barren wasteland that surrounded it, except the tooth like protrusions that spurted forth from the earth, which lead up to the gates where two rock statues emerged from the earth. The building itself took the form of a massive, ruined castle with three large sections of stone laying on top of each other. The bottom two sections appeared more square like in structure then the third and housed several stone gaps and carvings as the roof appeared to be more curved and circular with a long spire and ornaments decorating it. It was intimidating that's for sure.

Taking a single step forward, Natsu felt the earth rumble slightly. Setting himself alight and letting the crimson fire dance up and down his body as his eyes steeled with cold determination. After a few moments, the gates flung open with violent intent and an uncountable amount of monsters emerged, all screaming and shouting. Flicking his gaze from one to another quickly, Natsu looked down each creature; some looked like human-demon hybrids with large black wings and beaks while others were more mechanized suits of armour. They looked tough… perfect target practice.

Smirking, Natsu felt his body and lungs fill up with fire.

" **Draconic Fire God's Bellowing Roar!** " Unleashing a thick stream of scarlet flames from his maul, the Slayer watched as the Demons directly in his line of fire began to scream and cry out in fear with the swirling vortex of fire slowly approaching them. It moved with such grace and intent, picking off foes to the right and left who were unfortunately too close while eating through those directly in its line of sight into nothing but ash. The pinkette wasn't done though.

" **Draconic Fire God's Stream Kamikaze**!" Pushing his hands out, Natsu let himself become connected with the stream of fire before him until he could completely control its movement. Sweeping his arm to the left with a swipe, everyone present bore witness to the stream suddenly shift in direction before becoming Dragon-like; its flickers shrank and grew in certain places to look like the long body of a slimmer Dragon while the head of the flames grew into a snout and sharp fangs. Controlling the fire with such skill and mastery was simple as Natsu spun himself in a circle which drove the living stream through the mass amount of Demons and machines before driving it up and into the skies. Leaping up, Natsu performed a backflip while forcing both of his hands downwards and let out a fierce smirk as the flaming Dragon crashed down with a large explosion with threads of fire absorbing any demon that it came into contact with.

The flames eventually died down with Natsu landing in a crouch. Looking around, Natsu noticed a few stray Demons that had survived. Shooting forward to the right side like a rocket, Natsu grabbed a hold of a flying Demon whose efface morphed into one of horror and shock.

" **Draconic Fire God's Icarus Messenger**!" Setting the poor Demon on fire, he let it absorb his whole being as small patches of small crimson fire erupted forth all over its body, blinking in anticipation. Jumping into the air, Natsu grabbed the creature by the throat and with a cry he hurled it at a group of by standing soldiers. Upon impact, the flares went off and set the whole group alight with a spinning ball of flames.

Performing a back handspring, Natsu then set his sights onto the left side; the only side remaining.

" **Draconic Fire God's Earth Inferno**!" Smashing his aflame fists into the ground, he let the fire sink into the earth before they bolted off towards the dazed Demonic group. Is slunk its way through the earth, creating cracks and crevasses of fire as it finally reached its targets. Geysers of sparks flew free from the rocks and they sucked any life that the mechanized machines had left in them.

Letting out a held breath, Natsu looked around to find the battlefield barren.

"Kind of disappointing to be honest."

Then the doors opened again and the air filled with more screams and shouts.

"Hehehe… Speak his name and the Devil will answer."

Light his body on fire again, the All Slayer leapt forward towards the unlucky group of Demons.

* * *

Inside Tartaros, a man sat with an unamused look on his face as he looked at a lacrima screen in front of him.

It showed a young man with spikey pink hair and tan skin weaving in and around several groups of Demons before delivering dangerous Fire Magic attacks to leave their forms to ashes. It was… beautiful. The way the unknown figure danced and paraded his power in his movements and this lost form of ancient power that not even he had seen before; the crimson that flitted up and down his arms and pecs seemed like a familiar flame but it was… different, unique, special. Just like him.

Smirking, Mard Geer Tartaros turned in his chair to face his companions.

The Guild Master himself appeared as a handsome young man with clear skin and an emotionless yet amused look in his eyes. His long black hair was tied behind his head into a ponytail with only a few bangs falling before his face. As for clothing, he wore a long black over coat that trailed down to his feet like water before splitting off into four but the coat also contained many strange swirling purple markings that were similar in colour to his frilly purple undershirt. For the bottom half, he had a simple pair of black shoes that sat under long white pants. He gave off an overall look of intimidating while not trying to; his speciality.

"Do all of you see what Mard Geer sees?" His tone was confident, arrogant and powerful as he spoke to his underlings.

"We do sir… But what do you intend us to do?" The first of the Demons present to answer was the one known as Kyoka. This was the Demon in charge of them all… well except from the Guild Master of course. She was considerable very beautiful for what normal people consider a Demon, with pale skin and a curvaceous figure accentuated by her buxom chest. Her green hair spiked out and looked messy while accentuating her facial features that could be seen now that was without her trademark mask. Covering her form was a skin tight purple suit that lead down to her naval and left her legs exposed while a dark cloak with a four way split tail coated her shoulders and neck but also covering her talons in sleeves. Similar talon like extremities exit from her feet after a pair of bands ends. Overall, she looked like a dangerous and deadly woman. And that is what she was.

"Capture him… He will be invaluable to Lamy's experiments."

"Yes, Mard Geer." Turning swiftly on her heels, Kyoka turned to the rest of the Nine Demon Gates who were anxiously waiting for their next move. Looking back at the ending moments of the Slayer's fight, the Demon-Avery hybrid gave off a sadistic smile.

"Ezel, Torafuzar and Jackal. You three will be the first to fight this 'monster' of a man. Keyes, help them by controlling the usable corpses of the Demons. Use your curses to weaken him to point where Sayla can control him using Macro. After that we will learn of how he came to this place before he is eliminated by myself and Silver before being taken to Lamy. Tempester and Franmalth; you two will provide additional support if necessary. Understood?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"Good. Move out."

The group of shadowy Demons began to move out before the voice of Mard Geer spoke up.

"Kyoka?" Twisting her head back, the Goddess of the Slave Planet saw the intimaidation and power in the man's eyes. "Do not fail me…Understand?" She quickly nodded before moving out to follow her team.

"Good. Now go get that man."

* * *

Letting out a singular pant, Natsu felt himself becoming disappointed.

His battle with the Demons appeared to be over due to the gates not being reopened for several minutes after the 3rd time they spewed out their Hell-Spawn onto the now scorched battlefield. The battle hadn't been all that tough if the Slayer was to be honest; he didn't have to over exert himself too much and the magical pressure and overall power that he had to use was minimal at best. Kind of pathetic from the most powerful Dark Guild in the Balam Alliance.

"Can't expect any better than this then. Time to go and see what the Hell is going on with this place and Alvarez then." Pushing some ash off of his shoulder, he began to walk forward but as he started to move, the massive gates began to open. However, unlike the first three times, the gates opened agonisingly slow with the metal scrapping across the rocky earth painfully and harshly. Gritting his teeth at the sound was all that Natsu could really do. When the doors finally opened, a deep voice rang out.

"Huh. You don't really look like much up close."

Opening his once shut eyes in confusion, Natsu looked up. He hadn't encountered a Demon from this group that could talk before… Then he saw them.

Three figures began to move out of the shadows with confidence and swagger in their walk. The one in the middle was considerably shorter than the two beside it but it still held the same strange shape that the other two silhouettes had. And as the three of them grew closer, the air around him appeared to dry up and give up trying to produce oxygen; dark energies wrapped their Demonic presence around the very skies and darkened them to suit their own selfish agendas.

As the figures finally made their way out of the shadows, Natsu could only quirk an eyebrow at their appearance.

The man in the centre looked relatively human but with some clear, distinct differences. For starters, he was around Natsu's height with medium length blonde hair that fell to his shoulders at the back but remained relatively short the rest of the way round with only the left side of his face being covered by thick blonde bangs. His outfit consisted of a striped green tank top with a brown bandanna on top of it which bore many yellow diamond shapes on it. Around his waist, he had a blue garb that was secured by a large knot with hanging edges on the front and was split into two tails on the back where as his pants only reached down to his knees and were loose and baggy with a whitish-beige colouring and accented by dark blue lines and knee clamps. As for his shoes, they were simple black boots with light soles. Overall, he looked relatively human… Well, if you look past the cat-like protrusions on his head and the tail poking out of his lower back as well as the black diamond like coverings on his arms. Strange… very strange indeed.

Next to him, on the right, stood a tall and imposing beast of a… man? He held a great height and body mass with pale blue skin but that was the most normal part about him. His face was barren and spikey with a small nose and eyes but with a mouth full of sharp, triangular teeth. He had four arms, each complete with a pair of shoulders and a toned upper body which also held a number of crimson tattoos that spread their way down his body in a flowing fashion. The strangeness continued as his chest held a grey medallion held up by chains that linked around his left abdominal. And even further still, after a simple grey cloth that covered his waist, a group of six massive tentacles spurted out from below, each with the same bluish colour which became smaller at the tips. Compared to the man next to him, he looked like a being from Hell itself.

This trend continued with the being on the left of the middle man who also appeared very large and strong but smaller than the tentacle beast. He was extremely muscular with many features of his looking like a mix between a shark and a Lizardman with his body being dark pinkish in colour with some sort of plated protrusion sticking up from the front of his head was dark red. Both of these parts contained strange rhombus like shapes, with the ones on the beast's body being dark purple and the ones on his fin being white. His hulking frame was covered by a dark brown, short sleeved shirt that was covered in furs and triangles while being secured onto his frame by metallic links and brown bonds. Meanwhile, his bottom half was covered by whitish-brown pants and simple brown shoes. Another feature of his was the sharp spike like protrusions that exited from his arms and the golden tip of his chin that made him look even more like a Lizardman.

All of this was just so… weird.

The whole sky was tense and quiet as the imposing figures made their way over to Natsu, stopping a few metres before him. Everything remained quiet before Natsu spoke up.

"So… am I gonna get your names before we fight?"

The blue skinned creature gave out a scoff. "How do you know that we are here to fight?"

"Let's just say that if I was here for tea and biscuits, I would have a better looking reception."

The beast let out a low laugh before turning to the man in the middle.

"You heard him, go and introduce yourself 'better looking' one."

Shaking his head with a smirk, the cat-man started walking forward he was a while away from the other two.

"Alright, listen up Cherry-Top. You came to Tartaros with some sort of violent intent and we've been ordered to take you in for some… upgrades. Yea, upgrades sounds good." His one visible eye narrowed as his smirk grew.

"Cool. Name's Natsu by the way and, well I ain't interested so if you would just let me- "

"Jackal! Why are you revealing such crucial information about the Guild like it is nothing!? You must remain loyal to Tartaros!" The hulking figure yelled at the smaller man who just sighed.

"Really? Are you saying that we as Demons should have dignity, Torafuzar?" The blue skinned tentacle man spoke up, angering the Lizardman known as Torafuzar.

"Are you saying that we should not? Ezel, you must understand our position as members of Tartaros that we must hold some sense of dignity if we are going to get anywhere!"

"Well what are we?! We are Demons! Greedy, manipulative Demons who love to kill so I don't need no dignity or nothing! Got it?!" Ezel spoke with distain, glaring at his ally while Jackal and Natsu just watched confused.

"Ezel how dare y- "

"Ahem." Jackal spoke up, catching the two's attention. "Now, while I thank you for the distraction, I believe that we must be getting onto the battle." He posed to the larger Demons, both of which gave each other a glare before nodding in his direction.

"Distraction?" Natsu spoke up, confused at what the cat-man meant.

"Oh yeah… You're gonna go boom."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Natsu heard a harsh gust of wind behind him before a massive amount of lethal explosions and pyrotechnics lit up around him, setting the whole area on fire. Flames scorched the skies as the three Demons watched with mixed expressions.

"Welp, now that that is done, let's get- "

As Jackal began to speak, a figure coated in crimson flames bolted out of the carnage in a flash of fire before colliding with the Etherious with his fist in a battle cry.

" **Draconic Fire God's Frenzied Fist**!" A powerful explosion that was not too dissimilar to the one that Jackal just set off went off in the air. The burst shook the earth and sent the cat-man spiralling backwards several tens of metre as scarlet fire consumed his form. As he passed his companions, bursts and tendrils of fire spurted off and began to home in on the two other unsuspecting Demons, who took and explosion face first.

Smoke and ash billowed through the air as Natsu landed, sucking in the last few flickers of fire from the explosion. The air was once again tense and silent as Natsu waited with baited breath for the figures to rise up.

"Hehe, I actually felt that." Rising up one by one, the three Demons all let out a chuckle as they turned to the standing man whose body looked only minimally damaged. The comment that Torafuzar let out didn't escape the other two's ears as they also gave out their praise.

"Yeah… it was good. Some pretty fancy magic you got there… But now it ends." Ezel said quietly, rising to his feet before shooting forward with his arms raised.

" **Tenga Goken: Onimaru**!" The massive beast yelled with all 4 of his palms raised before he threw them down in a cross like shape right in front of Natsu's form. Suddenly, a bright light of a cross emerged from his swing and began to make its way towards the pinkette. Gritting his teeth, Natsu leapt into the air and narrowly dodged the ever growing cross of light through the upper right area of the attack. Landing in a crouch, the Slayer retaliated almost immediately.

" **Draconic Fire God's Riot Daggers**!" Launching himself at the beast's chest, he began to riddle it with numerous hits from his head, attempting to hurt the creature. With each hit, Ezel grunted out in pain as he felt bits of his skin burn from the attack and spit start to come forth from his maul. Ending his assault, Natsu watched as Ezel stumbled back slightly before he began to charge up his next attack.

" **Draconic Fire God's Outbr** \- "

" **Slash Arm**!" From behind his from, Natsu felt the world shake and so he seized his attack to perform a myriad of back flips to avoid a slash from Torafuzars arm blade. Watching it with wide eyes, he watched as it cut so far into the earth with a lot of power and force behind it. However, this time, Natsu did not get to land.

" **Bomb Curse. Exploding Spiral**!" The right of him began to light up and Natsu could only brace himself as a thick pillar of explosions and fire consumed him. Unlike the last time, the impact itself was strong enough to damage him while the flames dissipated quickly. Curving through the air to a distance a few metres away, the Slayer landed with a tumble before quickly recovering and staring at his opponents.

All four of them were smiling like mad-men at the challenge before them.

"Oh yeah. Now this is a party."

Smirking, Natsu set himself on fire before leaping forward.

" **Draconic Fire God's Bellowing Roar**!"

* * *

Atop the Tartaros Guild Hall, stood 3 figures who all watched the confrontation between the three members of the Demon Gates and one Natsu, a fire magic user who in-cooperated some strange and unique form of Slayer magic.

"Hm. I've heard of God Slayers and Dragon Slayers before but never a Dragon-God Slayer hybrid… Strange. What do you think of it, Sayla?" Kyoka spoke with intrigue in her voice before turning to her companion who stood to the right of her.

Sayla was a very beautiful woman with a figure as curvaceous and buxom as her friend but with long purple tresses in place of Kyoka's short green ones. Her head also held a pair of golden horns that were well integrated with her skull and her hair framed her face perfectly while leaving a purple tattoo still viable on her forehead; it depicted something that could look like a half moon with a spot in the centre and several smaller dots surrounding it. Her pale neck also held a white ribbon that had been tied around it. Her attire itself, much like Kyoka's again, was very revealing but time took the form of a leopard print, beige kimono that left her shoulders bare and visible, allowing the world to see the strange purple markings there. As for her bottom half, there was very little other than the end of the kimono, tied by a yellow band and thigh high black socks that left her heels and toes free. She was very beautiful and much like everyone else in Tartaros, very dangerous.

"Hm… I have never heard of such a combination of powerful lost magic's before so this is entirely a new magic. I bet Lamy will have fun with this one." Sayla chuckled darkly as she looked at the pink haired mage with intrigue. She didn't know what it was but there was something… off about him. Unlike most of the fickle mages and useless types of magic she had seen in her years, this was quite different and so was he but she didn't know how…

"Yes, he is. What about you Silver, what do you think of this mage." Turning towards her other companion, she was surprised to see Silver Fullbuster in such a state of concentration.

The man himself was tall and well-built with short black hair and tan skin. One of the most attention grabbing of his facial features was the large scar that cut and jutted through his left eye and his silver cross ear-rings. As for his attire, he was wearing a black, closely fitting shirt with a tick, grey fur collar and a light grey over sleeves which reached his upper arms. Hanging from his waist and covering his sides are two dark yellow cloths and he wears brown cloths and brown baggy pants tucked into similarly coloured boots. Over his shirt he wears a segmented metal chest-plate which bore the writing ' _Absolute Zero'_ which was connected to his brownish-white cape and secured by his blue shoulder guards, both of which bore the Tartaros symbol.

Compared to the rest of them, Silver was relatively new. After all, he was just a mage and not a Demon like the rest of the 9 Gates. Instead, he was a revived corpse that Keyes summoned back to life after his hundredth attempt. Now, he served them dutifully.

"Silver, what is the matter?" Kyoka asked in a demanding tone. Looking towards the green haired woman, the Ice Devil Slayer simply smiled and said.

"Oh nothing, just surprised he's lasting this long."

"Alright then, be ready to hold him on my signal."

"Yes Ma'am."

Turning away from the two Demons, Silver's fake smile dropped and his expression turned serious. When he laid his eyes on this Natsu character… he was able to examine him. Like he would a Demon. It was only a weak version of his usual analysis, only bringing up a few facts which proved that the Demon inside of him was still trying to claw its way out or trying to over-take him but it still proved that he was in-part a Demon. And the analysis proved that he was an Etherious, even better.

He should probably alert the others about this. Silver smirked.

"Nah… No point in doing that."

These Demons would pay… and he was the key.

* * *

 **OOOOOOOOH! FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!**

 **Now I know some of you might be like 'But Hyperion could see that Natsu was a Demon so why can Silver?' It is a case Silver being a bit more experienced and that the God Slaying Fire and subsequent Draconic God Slaying Fire changing Natsu's personality and physiology a bit more so it can be better suited for E.N.D's use so he is more Demon like is his physicology. Trust me, when he fights Hyperion, the Devil Slayer will be able to analyse him and he will be shocked about it.**

 **So I hope you all enjoyed and next chapter we will see the continuation of Natsu's fight with the Nine Demon Gates as he tries to fight them off and get a nice lil' power-up while he's at it. Remember to keep voting for who you want in the rest of the harem and I hope you all have a nice day! Good-bye!**

 **-Jack**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello everybody and welcome back to a Slayer's Flame!**

 **Oh boy and am I excited for this chapter! Yes it will be another fight heavy chapter but for someone who thinks that they can not do fighting in words like some others can, I am really damn proud of myself for this chapter and the last one and I just want to thank you for saying that it was a good fight so.. thank you. (Repetitive is repetitive)**

 **Anyway, we are only 1 chapter away from deciding which 3 will be in Natsu's harem for the time being so um... Vote? So go wild, go nuts and stuff.**

 **Also, James, Vincent and every other Guest account made by that one guy... Really enjoying you determination to have Meredy in but like 7 accounts? Really? Ah well, go ahead I don't care. Here's the list as of now:**

 **Irene:30**

 **Lucy:10**

 **Levy:5**

 **Wendy:12**

 **Chelia:2**

 **Cana:20**

 **Juvia:7**

 **Laki:2**

 **Kinana:4**

 **Meredy:14**

 **Hisui:11**

 **Jenny:7**

 **Sherry:1**

 **Kagura:6**

 **Yukino:5**

 **Sorano:6**

 **Dimaria:25**

 **Minerva:12**

 **Kyouka:3**

 **Sayla:22**

 **Virgo:7**

 **Aquarius:2**

 **Aries:5**

 **Libra:1**

 **Pieces(Mother):1**

 **Kamakia:5**

 **Cosmos:6**

 **Flare:8**

 **Once again, I will ask; why the fuck do so many people like Irene?! Like yea, she's a cool character but we know next to nothing about her; we know that she has something to do with Erza but that is it! But hey, like I said, I like her (I just want to know more about her please!). As for the top 3 at this current moment, it remains:**

 **Irene**

 **Sayla**

 **Dimaria**

 **And I am very happy with these 3 woman, the last 2 especially as I do have something planned for each of them but remeber, your voting counts and stuff so do it!**

 **And now onto reviews!**

 **xXCoopyXx: Kind of for Fairy Tail standards but as a writer, i just can't do larger harems; it takes too much out of me to make character development for like 16 people and even if I were to do it without character development, it would just be a weak story. But hey, different tastes and stuff.**

 **PugTheMagician: Oh don't worry, he does. Bare in mind they aren't as good as the one's you suggested by hey, he does give them nicknames, buy over the last 2 years, he had gained more respect and stuff so... Eh who am I kidding, I just wanted them to say their names so that I wouldn't have to Deus Ex Machina them out of nowhere. Yea, all Devil Slayer's have this ability in Cannon and for a highly trained Devil Slayer like Silver, I wanted him to show off his prowess and ability rather then Hyperion, who while being very highly skilled is still quite new compared to Silver.**

 **Eurospawn: He will have a variation of the tattoos, yes.**

 **Now onto chapter 9!**

* * *

Fire spewed out onto the earth.

Explosions and the clashing off steel erupted throughout the air as ash and dust were sent billowing through the skies. The already scared figure of the Tartaros Guild's front form was even more scratched up and injured with hundreds of tiny cuts and burn marks along with even larger scorches and stab wounds. It all just escalated that feeling of death and despair that already ran rampant throughout the world around the mages who were fighting in the centre of this field of destruction. And even the God's would be lying if they said that this fight was anything but spectacular.

" **Tenga Goken: Mikazuki**!" The powerful, multi-limbed beast known as Ezel through his arms at the mid-air from of Natsu Dragneel in an attempt to cut him from the sky's cloth. Rapidly spinning his 4 powerful arms, the Etherious began to generate devastating slashes of energy that cut through the skies, homing in on the spinning Slayer. However, Natsu saw them all coming. Twisting his body and spine in such a combination that it could crush another man, Natsu dodged and weaved through each sharp blade so that they continued past their intended target and would go sailing off into the distance. Allowing himself some joy in the situation, the pinkette turned his head to see the tens of sharp manifestations hit the earth in a devastating blast that left the world hollowed out and empty in a large, scared hole. With a smirk on his face as he landed, Natsu leapt at the tentacle-d Demon.

" **Draconic Fire God's Winded Scythe**!" Launching himself into the sky, Natsu flew over the head of the beast but before flying over completely he trapped his hands between the jaws of Ezel. Too shocked to even move, the Etherious just had to watch as the Slayer lit his whole form alight with crimson fire. With the red flames seeking out his very flesh like a school of piranha, Ezel threw his head back in agony while the flames absorbed him. Using this new found momentum, Natsu's body followed the movement of his head, curling around his body to his back where his feet lit up in a familiar shape of a fiery scythe emerged and slammed into Ezel's back. This comination of effects sent Ezel flying forward in to unknown and Natsu in the air once.

" **Bomb Curse: Bomb Orb**!" Suddenly, a fast flying orb or transparency began to follow the Slayer's every move from its original position at Jackal's fingertips. This Etherious, much like his beastly companion, was scratched and bruised from the pinkette's brutal attacks but he was still standing and so he was still able to fight. Smiling a dark, malicious smile as he watched Natsu try to out run and out manoeuvre the orb of explosive energy, Jackal noticed the hulking form of Torafuzar sneakily move behind the Slayer.

" **Crushing Fists**!" A look of surprise and confusion crossed Natsu's face as he threw himself forward towards the explosion, sliding on his knees and bending over backwards to see the massive arms of the Lizardman smash down into the earth where he once was, leaving a crater of discarded earth and rock. Gritting his teeth at the current scenario, the pinkette slid under the orb once move but he dug his fingernails into the dirt so that he could swerve back around in the shape of a bent semi-circle. Coming back around from his initial swing, Natsu let out a roar as he leapt forward and pushed his bleeding knuckles into the orb, the sudden impact starting to activate the bomb but with Natsu being faster it just sent the armed explosive towards the frozen figure of Torafuzar.

Unable to move, the Lizardman just let the explosion consume his form and envelop the landscape in a similar blast however Natsu didn't stop to admire the scenery. Performing an advanced form of gymnastics and flips, he began to close in on the moving form of Jackal. Landing back on his feet with a powerful stomp, Natsu just jumped at the cat-like man.

"Hey Kitty Kat! Last time I checked you were on 7 lives; let's bring that number down a bit, shall we!" Screaming out with such intensity and an edge that would make the sharpest blade jealous, Natsu threw his fist into the blocking body of Jackal, who was trying to stop his body from becoming unrecognizable. That wasn't really going to help that much though.

" **Draconic Fire God's Frenzied Fist**!" Colliding with the man's face summoned the initial explosion of lights and fire; a crimson spectacle of wonder and fireworks that sucked up every living thing and spat out only the dead. Sending the Demon back a few metres, Natsu's fire continued to assault his body with the tendrils and threads of scarlet continuing to seek out his figure and bathe it ethereal lights and flares that only summoned more explosions. Launching himself forward towards the man's prone figure, Natsu attached his hands onto the Demon's feet before swinging him towards the other two injured Etherious. Unfortunately, Torafuzar was in the way and as the two collided, they were both sent flying back with even more scratches and scars and burns as they skidded across the floor.

Watching from a distance as ash and dust filed out into the air like an army of soldiers, Natsu spit out a large amount of blood and soot. While he was able to damage the Demon's fairly well as well as avoid most of their hits, they had got some shots in due to his own incompetence; and boy did those 'lucky' shots hurt like a bitch! He had thick, black and purple bruises all over his body and a load of deep and shallow cuts alike, marking his body as a sign of ownership almost, and he could even feel the shifting in some of his fractured bones.

But he would continue to fight.

He was about to take a few steps forward but a sudden weight was felt on his ankle. Sluggishly looking down, confusion plagued his features as he looked upon the body of a Demon henchmen that he previous fought along with its brethren, clawing at his feet with anger and hate in its hollowed out eyes… Yet them still seemed empty and dead.

Shaking his head, Natsu lit his foot on fire which sent the Demon into hysterics before kicking it away until it was nothing but ash. Huffing, he tried to continue moving but a sudden amount of noise and rattling filled his ears. Twisting on his heels, Natsu stood shocked as an army of undead Demons began to rise form their fallen forms, clumsily shifting upright while others seemed to just fix their broken and shattered forms. And their whole forms were smothered in dark purple energy that seemed foreign to him but familiar at the same time… a spell perhaps?

He didn't get much time to wonder about this as the sea of henchmen soon began to part as a new figure entered the fray. The figure was tall and lanky, barely looking like it had any muscle or anything of substance on it at all but it didn't change the dominating and gruesome aura that it appeared to give out. It appeared to be male, based on the tone and quietly cackling of its voice and the clothes that it donned. These clothes featured form fitting, checkered robes and a covered collar shirt that also featured a dark purple tie. And his head… it held a sort of ornate head piece that Natsu could only describe as stupid and silly looking with it trapping his entire head apart from a small opening in the face; the jaw of the mask revealed the Tartaros Guild mark as well as the top of the mask spreading out into an almost crown-like form. However, what intrigued Natsu most was this figures face. It had no flesh or muscle, much like his previous observation, and held no nose, face of mouth either, taking on the appearance of a cloth covered skull… Strange. He also appeared to be moving his hands in strange, confusing ways, almost as if he was trying to untangle his hands from string and he was emitting the same black energy that was emitting from the corpses…

' _So he's most likely controlling them.'_ Natsu thought as the figure got closer, the sea parting more and more until he reached the front, allowing Natsu to see that he also carried a long golden staff with a unique shape and design.

The air was tense and silent…

"So, Patchwork. You with Tall, Dark and Gruesome over there?" Natsu asked while trying to maintain a smile, pointed at the fallen forms of Ezel, Jackal and Torafuzar respectively. The Arch-Bishop looking skeletal figure didn't respond but instead he began to cackle menacingly while looking towards Natsu. "Okay… Not much of a talke- "

"You… You're perhaps the most foolish of all the pitiful human on this very earth. Why would someone honestly try to take on the Guild Tartaros of their own accord? Power? Fame? Or just a good fight?" The skeleton began to mutter, seemingly studying Natsu as he stood still.

"Nah, none of them Patchwork. I just want some answers and your Guild has got them for me." Natsu smirked as he saw the confusion etched onto the small face of the Demon,

"Hm… intriguing. Very intriguing indeed. Well then, boy, welcome to the story… the story where you become a corpse!" Throwing his hands up, his eyeless holes seemed to spark to life for a second before vanishing. The purple wrappings that coated the Demon's also sparked to life slightly before they all just let out vague battle screams and they all started to sprint towards Natsu, resulting in the man letting out a sigh.

"Oi, Cherry-Top!" Twisting on his heel, Natsu could only let out a longer sigh as he saw the standing forms of Jackal, Ezel and Torafuzar, all glaring holes into his head.

"Now come on, this is just unfair!" The Slayer just yelled before setting his whole body on fire and grabbing the closest Demon to him by the jaw, before setting him on fire and throwing it into a crowd of other henchmen, resulting in a large explosion of fire that smothered the battlefield.

"But I like being the underdog."

* * *

Atop the tower, Kyoka, Sayla and Silver watched the battle that just started back up with critical eyes.

"Hm… This man sure is powerful, if he can take on 4 of the 9 Demon Gates at once, don't you think Kyoka?" Sayla let out quiet hums of recognition as she spoke with a sly smile, turning towards her partner who looked at her with narrowed vision.

"Yes… He's doing too well." The Avery Demon's body seemed to glow a distant green as she looked back towards the Slayer fight off a drove of Demons along with trying to avoid the brutal attacks thrown at him by the Demon Gates. Sayla knew that she would get like this if she bought her new found interest in the boy up, that Kyoka would get aggressive and protective at the Slayer. However, this didn't mean that her interest was fake; in fact, it was entirely true. Somehow, this human boy had managed to capture her attention using his strength and power and battle-prowess that Sayla felt herself slowly becoming accepting and wanting of him. Greedy and lustful, just like a Demon. But that was all just materialistic and she felt something else pulling her towards this boy, something other than those other feelings. Something… strange.

Subconsciously licking her lips, Sayla watched in delight as Kyoka let out a huff before walking forwards to the edge of the roof, catching both her and Silver's attention.

"Kyoka." Twisting her head, the green haired woman looked into Sayla's half-lulled eyes. "Don't damage him too much, okay?"

"Just get the boys to activate their Etherious Forms when I signal you, got it?" Kyoka responded with an edge to her voice before she leapt off the building to take part in the fights, leaving behind a confused Silver and a giggling Sayla. Apart from the sounds of fighting and screaming from the battlefield, the air was practically silent for the two remaining members who were sitting on the roof.

"Sayla… I thought you hated humans. So why is this one so intriguing to you?" Silver asked the purple haired woman after a while, genuinely intrigued by the woman's seemingly true feelings and intentions towards the Dragon-God Slayer.

"If I was simple, I would say that it was his strength and power; to go up against almost half of the Demon Gates and still come out strong as well as go up against some of the strongest Demon Henchmen that Tartaros has is not some easy task, even for the strongest of mages."

"But you aren't simple, not in the slightest. So then, what is it about the man?" Silver asked again, knowing that Sayla wasn't like that; if she was, she would be all over the other members of the Gates due to them all being powerful yet she only really associated herself with Kyoka.

"To be completely honest, I have no idea." This laid back, casual response threw the Ice-Devil Slayer for a loop. Sayla didn't know something? The same woman that knew practically everything to do with him and his family, with Gray and Mika, and the same woman that always spent her time reading didn't know something? This boy was intriguing indeed.

"Hm, interesting, for you not to know something, is it not?" Silver responded with a smirk, knowing that this was the one chance to get a one up on the Demon's that he hated so much, even if he couldn't do it physically.

"Watch your tone, Fullbuster. You are still new here at Tartaros and we could kill you with a simple flick- "To emphasise her point, Sayla moved her hand up and concentrated her Curse on Silver, taking effect on the distracted Devil Slayer. "- of out wrists." Silver's hands suddenly found his throat. "Remember this, oh Absolute Zero."

Taking her Curse back and letting him regain his senses, Sayla began to chuckle at his expression but still found herself thinking about what he said.

" _I don't really know, do I?"_

* * *

Jumping over another punch from Torafuzar that knocked over droves of Demons like they were nothing, Natsu landed gracefully on the large Demon's outstretched arm.

"You know, Scales, I think you'd look better with some facial surgery, don't you?!" Running up his arm until he reached his face, he smirked as he felt his body lit up in fire.

" **Draconic Fire God's Hacking Talons**!" Throwing his hands down in a swiping motion, claws of fire scratched through the air and began to eat through the skies before colliding with the hard, scaly face of Torafuzar. Despite the Demon's hard hide, the fire still managed to cut and burn his features, hitting on of his exposed eyes effectively making him half blind.

"Ah! How dare you disgrace a member of Tartaros, you insi- "

" **Tenga Goken: Onimaru**!" Hearing the tell-tale signs of another attack, Natsu used the Lizardman's head as a means to an end, using it as a spring-board that launched him up high and above the firing range of Ezel's attacks.

"Sorry, Squid, you need to try harder than that to hit me!" Natsu called out as he flew through the air and over the attack, relishing in the hard and cold expression that Torafuzar had on his face as he stared hard at his fellow companion, blood dripping from his frame. However, he didn't expect another voice to join the fray.

"Yes, they do!" Spinning in mid-air, Natsu felt himself unable to dodge as a green and purple blur collided painfully with his abdomen, sending him spiralling through the air and to the hard earth with a crash that left cracks and craters spreading across the rocky surface. After a few bounces, Natsu managed to right himself, landing in a crouched position with his fingers digging into the earth with shallow, pants.

"What the fuck was that?" He quietly asked himself, looking forward to see the Demon's all standing stationary, all bleeding and burnt but with smirks on their faces and the tattered Keyes was holding back his army of Henchmen with a similar look.

"Oh that? That was just ME!" That voice came back, causing Natsu to turn on his heels only to come face to face with a woman. She had short but spikey green hair that jutted out on both sides to give her that intimidating and powerful bird-like look but her face was sharp and angular with a narrowed expression and a fierce smirk on her face. He couldn't really see the rest of her body before a pair of long, sharp claws came at his face, gripping both sides of it before a bright green light began to over-take him and a symbol emerged before his face.

" **Enhancement: Pain**." Her voice was low but powerful, almost seductive but with that extra icy edge to her voice. However, Natsu couldn't really dwell on the fact as he felt his head fill with pain and his eyes begin to roll around his head agonisingly. He would have gritted his teeth but the shock and the sudden pain refused him from doing so. And after a few seconds, it left but he was panting heavily and sweating was breaking out from his body. Fixing his eyes back on the woman before him, he tried to scowl at her but before he could she threw he back slightly.

"I could kill you but you will know pain greater then death!" The woman spoke with a dark and sinister smirk as she threw her hands to the side of his face and threw his head down to meet her knee and Natsu couldn't move quick enough due to his sluggishness. And the pain he felt from the hit! It was agonising, and so much more painful than he had felt thus far in the fight that he taken aback from it.

Spiralling back onto the rocky earth, Natsu spat out a bit of blood and tried to clean up his crimson that was dripping out of his nose. Looking up shakenly, he saw the woman looking at him with the same, cold calculating eyes that she had when she beat him.

"Hello Natsu, my name is Kyoka… And welcome to Hell." She followed with a sinister laugh as Natsu tried to launch himself at her but he was caught by something from behind him. Spinning his head, he was immediately hit by a fist that sent him back a few metres and sent his sensing reeling. Amidst the pain, he heard the chuckling of Jackal join in so he noticed that it must have been him who hit him.

But before he could even land, he was being picked up again, this time by Ezel who let out a fierce battle cry before throwing his sharp elbow down onto Natsu's stomach, shooting him down to the earth with a crash. He bounced off it once and even in that interval he could hear the stomping of the earth that came with the movement of Torafuzar. And then he felt the impact of a foot breach his chest and the feeling of soaring through the air, all his other senses dying out but his hearing so he could hear the chuckling through the blur.

Colliding with the earth once more, he rolled over numerous times before he stopped. Lights and colours and blood just all sort of blended together as he tried to stabilise himself from the pain. It wasn't really working. However, through his bleeding body and broken ears, he could hear a few things other than laughter.

"Tempester – Franmalth- tand by y- bring in the subj- Lamy." It was broken up and hard to understand but he could make out several names from it.

' _Great, even more of these Demons."_ Gritting his teeth, he tried to stand but his bones wouldn't allow it. This was it… he was going to die here. He was going to fail again. Just like before… Just like at the village… Just like with Hyperion… Just like with Tenroue.

Feelings of guilt and sadness outweighed and ate at any feelings of anger or rage that he had as the earth rumbled and shook with about 30 shadowy figures making their way towards him at a very fast pace. Those Hench-Demons… locked away under someone else's power. Throughout the fighting, he had figured out that that skeletal Demon, Keyes was his name, used a Curse called Necromancy which let him bring back things from the dead and use them like puppets. To be honest, he still didn't really have a clue what Curses even were but the just knew that they were not magic; at least not the one that he and everyone else in Fairy Tail, Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, all of the Guilds in Earthland used.

And then he thoughts went back to that small Guild in Magnolia.

That Guild Hall that lay at the back of the town with burnt wood and split splinters and shattered steel and cracked concrete and broken bottles and chairs and with a scratch at every panel of wood that littered the very ground that his Guild walked on… But it was home. It always was and always would be. And he promised on his honour as a Fairy Tail mage that he would complete the job set by his Master and so far, he was failing.

But no more.

These Demons were strong, but he knew that he was stronger. He knew that in his heart that he was stronger than these foul creations and even if he wasn't and he died here, then at-least he died fighting. Punching down on the earth hard, Natsu began to get into a slumped over, crouched position.

If he died here, then so be it. But he knew he wouldn't, he knew that he could power through this and go back to Fairy Tail as the strongest in order to protect them all from anything. He would protect them all from threats. And at the minute, both Tartaros and Hyperion were threats…

Threats that he needed to deal with.

The shadows were getting closer and closer and as they did he felt a familiar fire start to brew up inside him. A familiar flame… and a newly kindled flame, conjoining and mixing together to form something powerful. It didn't feel like his combination of Fire God Slaying Magic and Dragon Slaying Magic but at the same time it did… But it just felt so much more powerful. So much stronger.

Turning to look at the approaching hoard, he thought back on his job, the job he was set out to do.

" _The request: Go out and become the strongest Mage in the whole damn guild."_

They were getting closer.

" _The conditions: Don't return to the Guild until then."_

The fire inside him got brighter and bigger,

" _And the reward: to be able to protect your friends for all eternity."_

"Master, Lacxus, the Thunder Tribe, Alzack and Bisca, Gildarts, Macoa and Wakaba, Jet, Droy, Elfman, Romeo, Laki, Kinana, Loki, Cana, Gajeel, Gray, Juvia, Levy, Lucy, Lisanna, Wendy, Carla, Happy, Erza, Mira, Everyone…"

Gritting his teeth, Natsu felt his blood boil and fire consume his whole being.

"I WILL PROTECT YOU ALL!"

Suddenly the air caught alight and fire sprung out from all over the area around Natsu and over every area on Natsu himself. His head became enveloped in an intimidating red mist of flames that consumed and dug into his every feature while he body was washed over by tick crimson fire that absorbed his whole being into itself. This fire, this heat, this power, utterly destroyed the Demons before they could even touch the boy, disintegrating and turning to ash that then was also burned into nothingness. The whole sky just became hot and heavy as Natsu began to emerge from the fire.

And he looked ready to kill.

His eyes were narrowed and his pupils were no existent, only a deep crimson being there instead, also replacing his sclera and his iris' as well; his whole eyes were just blocks of dangerous scarlet. And thin trails of neon like red were trailing from their sides as his head slightly bopped up and down with every little movement. From both sides of his face, visible red scales jutted out from his skin and absorbed his entire face from one side to another, stopping just at the centre of each eye. These scales were hard and tangible, touchable and visible by all. And his body was also coated in similar scales; his hoodie had been destroyed beyond repair and had been taken clean off his body so now the red scales could jut out from all around his ribs and absorb parts of his chest and spine too, with his arms and legs facing similar transformations. However, the parts of his skin that were not covered were marked by lines and markings of red and outlined in blacks and white; they used his body like a canvas and painted beautiful creations onto his skin. His whole form was bathed in holy, ethereal light and fire.

This was God-Dragon Force.

Placing only a single foot before him, a blast of powerful magically energy along with an explosion of invisible heat and wind knocked back the enemy forces a few metres, while also cracking the ground that the heels pressed against. The earth was so hot that it seemed that only the Sun itself could match it in scope.

As the Demons of Tartaros watched on in shock and horror as this new form emerged, Natsu could only smirk.

"So then, whose first?"

* * *

 **Boom! Done! Dragon-God Force! What will happen next time in the exciting conclusion to this extreme fight of God-Like beings?! Find out next time on A Slayer's Flame!**

 **But seriously, hope you enjoyed and all that and remember that there is only one more chapter remaining to vote for the initial members of this harem (I may add a few more in the future but don't expect there to be many, only like 2 will be added if I do add people) so vote or something. Anyway, see you next chapter and goodbye!**

 **-Jack**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hellow everybody and welcome back to a Slayer's Flame!**

 **Chapter 10 is here, my boi's! So excited to show off Natsu's power in this chapter but also show off some other.. stuffs. Anyway, first I just want to thank you all for 400 followers (Yes I know this is a broken record, trust me) and for even viewing this story and liking it or just for checking it out. It really makes me happy to know that I am entertaining all of you so... thanks.**

 **Anyway, now onto the harem votes... You voted for a long 10 chapters and I can now reveal the 3 winners are... (*drum roll*)**

 **Irene**

 **Dimaria**

 **Sayla**

 **and Cana?**

 **Yay, the 3 that have been there for like 3 weeks! And Cana. Now Cana is here due to her exploding in popularity and she evn drew with Sayla and I didn't want to alienate one and get rid of the other so.. I'm including both. Sorry if that is bad or anything but this way it keeps everything more balanced and stuff. But seriously, I am very happy with these women at this point and I think that I can do some interesting things with them. For those who want to see the full list, here you go.**

 **Irene:35**

 **Lucy:11**

 **Levy:6**

 **Wendy:17**

 **Chelia:2**

 **Cana:28**

 **Juvia:9**

 **Laki:2**

 **Kinana:4**

 **Meredy:15**

 **Hisui:12**

 **Jenny:8**

 **Sherry:1**

 **Kagura:7**

 **Yukino:5**

 **Sorano:6**

 **Dimaria:30**

 **Minerva:13**

 **Kyouka:3**

 **Sayla:28**

 **Virgo:7**

 **Aquarius:2**

 **Aries:5**

 **Libra:1**

 **Pieces(Mother):1**

 **Kamakia:5**

 **Cosmos:6**

 **Flare:9**

 **But once again I do want to say thank you to anyone who voted and I might add like 2 more girls if there is a lot of support for it but I don't know. Just let me know or something.**

 **Now, reviews!**

 **EuroSpawn: When we get to that, this GMG will be the very first GMG so they aren't he strongest yet and the competition will be strong due to them wanting to keep up with Fairy Tail.**

 **O: Yea sure... I'll surprise you with something a bit later on to do with that subject.**

 **xXCoopyXx: Yea, sorry if I came off as like aggressive or domineering or anything but yea, you are right I probably should have but hey, now there is 9 in the harem so... yay?**

 **TreyAlexander63917: At the minute? Yea, he's sort of like Gildarts in the Guild but a bit stronger. As for later on... we'll just wait and see until then shall we? And yes, I do keep up to date and this arc is finally getting somewhere. Don't get me wrong, I like Alvarez but come on! Have something happen (and in the last 20 chapters something has been happening.)**

 **Now onto Chapter 10!**

* * *

There was no air.

It felt as if the very sky itself had been taken away and had itself devoured by all-consuming heat and fire. Warmth clawed at the above, scratching at it for some semblance of a meal, and while the skies tried to fight it they all were just eaten and driven away before they could even lift a finger to help.

For Demon's, they should expect the worse, always feel as if the worst is going to happen and always want to enjoy and relish in it. For the Demons of Tartaros, however, they were all fearing the outcome of this fight. Of the heat. Of this fire. Of this… man.

Before them all, he stood like a dominating and endearing statue that spoke of their oncoming doom and despair, a sadistic smile warped his features as blocks of crimson coated his entire eye. Scales adorned his body like armour that not even a God could hope to break or take away and a strange and ominous glow emitted from all parts of his body while small lines and ridges in his skin curved and cut down into his body. His fangs had grown ever sharper and his claws had grown ever more deadly with what seemed as if they had been created from razor blades and sabres.

For the first time… they all feared something other than their creator.

Cracking his knuckles with glee and happiness running rampant throughout his whole being, Natsu Dragneel stared down Tartaros through a tint of red. Now… they looked so submissive, so weak, so distant from what they once were. And he, himself, felt so much more powerful, so dominant, so present that it would undermine a King with his very appearance. It felt as though a part of his brain had cracked and knowledge and energy that had been locked away with darker thoughts had begun to pour and mix with the concoctions already present to create this mad-man, this crazed state… This Primal feeling.

"Primal… I like that name." Natsu spoke with a deep voice, breaking all of the tense silence that had overtaken the air. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw all the Demons visibly flinch at his voice and tone. Smiling again, he took one step forward and let out a chuckle as he felt the very world that lay beneath his feet crumble and felt before him before hardening and becoming reborn into glassy structures of earth with power and magic leaking out for the whole world to bear witness to.

But he would not underestimate these powers.

He had done that too many times over and had suffered too many loses and had learned too many lessons over this 2-year journey to completely throw his new perspective and way of thinking out of the window. No, no he wouldn't abandon those though and instead he would… Deal with the problem presented to him. Suddenly, the sounds of movement hit his ears and the strong stench of more Demonic presences hit him hard. More of them were coming… probably that Franmalth and Tempester that that Kyoka person was talking to earlier.

"Hm. Amateurs." Natsu spoke focusing his attention onto the leader of all this chaos, this devastating group that looked visibly shook and shaken by this event and the magical pressure that surrounded her but, to her credit, she was hiding it quite well. The other 3 Demons, bruised and beaten as they were looked on with differing states of comfort and disarray frozen onto their faces. And somehow, Natsu enjoyed it.

"NOW!" The green haired Demon suddenly screamed at the top of her lungs and the two pressures that previously occupied the space behind him began to sprint and run towards him, obviously intent of taking him down via an ambush. Pathetic. The two pressures leapt off the stable ground, taking to the air before Natsu saw the two out the corners of his sharp eyes.

The first appeared to be very beastly in nature and design, with a large frame and build alongside the look that would match a lion, complete with dark brown skin and thin lips while oval eyes sat underneath a darkened hood and a short brown mane of a beard grew on his chin. His body wasn't all that protect, his chest being left completely exposed and his legs only being covered by a pair of long black shorts with golden knee guards at their edges. Overall, he appeared to be trying to display the courage of a lion, the strength of a beast within the form of a Demon as he leapt at Natsu, claws bared for him to see. It wasn't working very much.

The other one looked like he was having trouble jumping, nether-the-less attacking the pinkette. This figure had a small stature and a round figure, missing a midsection and any kind of visible shoulders or head for that matter. These were instead replaced by a section on his chest jutting out at the very top in a forward manner slightly that gave off the impression of some kind of yellow orb trapped behind a layer of steel while the rest of his body was similar in yellow colouring with a few markings and stripes of pink near his long legs. He also appeared to be wielding some sort of silver staff with the Tartaros insignia on it.

Quickly taking note of his new opponents, Natsu noticed that Franmalth was slightly closer to him. Moving a covered foot ever so slightly closer to the round blob, he waited for a few seconds as he got closer. Then…

"Prepare to face the wrath of Franmalth, you insig- "

Propelling his elbow back with force but without any use of magic, Natsu's sharp limb made contact with the metal plating that held the Demon's eye from view and with a show of strength he felt it crumble and crack beneath his force as he sent the beast flying back several tens of metres with that single blow. In the distance, they could all hear the tumbling and turning of the humanoid as he made contact with the dirt below. Even Temprester was distracted. Using this as an advantage, Natsu launched himself at the Lion-Man, grabbing him by the head before slamming him into the floor with a show of power and strength, creating more cracks and shifts in the earth as he went. After the initial blow, Natsu skid under the poor man, who just bounced haphazardly off of the ground, before launching himself upwards in spin as fire before to spew up from his trainers and his whole body burst into a glorious crimson fire.

" **Draconic Fire God's Lacerating Spiral**!" Watching on in glee as his feet shredded and cut through the synthetic flesh of the Demons with the fire lapping onto every inch of flesh and bone before devouring them, Natsu continued to push through his body until he came out clean on the other side. In his wake, a fountain of blood gushed out of the wound as well as discarded magical particles as a massive hole was left present in Tempester's chest. Landing in a crouch, he looked down at the beast, his eyes wide with confusion and fear as he looked upon his attacker, death and terror looming before him.

"So what do you actually do, Leo? Nah, that's Loke's nickname, and you ain't deserving of it." Natsu slowly chided himself, thinking how stupid he must have sounded; cracking jokes with a deep and dark tone in his voice… Ridiculous. Gazing down once more, he saw Tempester attempt to move despite his pain and he had to commend him on that. Smiling, he just stood back and let the man slowly clumber to his feet before letting out one last roar of aggression.

"You will not stop Tartaros! **Calamity Curse: Cyclone**!" Shouting out with adrenaline in his tone, Natsu observed the Demon's around him scatter and move out the way of some sort of invisible presence. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, he was about to comment but a massive gust of wind took the words out of his mouth. Twisting on his heels, he watched as a massive tornado began to barrel towards his location.

"Hm, Weather powers… Good job Simba." Not even bothering to move as the cyclone approached him, he looked on as it tore and ripped through the earth at an incredible pace and power, ripping up dirt and rocks as if they were absolutely nothing for the crazed monster of a natural disaster.

However, that didn't help it much against Natsu.

As soon as it got close, Natsu's body set itself alight with scarlet and the fires burst and sprang out from himself before attaching onto the cyclone, eating away at any part of it as it tried to approach his being. Hell, he didn't have to move! Just sit back and watch as his all devouring fire… devoured everything that once was of this terrifying thing of nature. And then it was just gone. The air was once again silent and hot, and the heavy panting of Tempester rang clear. Turning around again, Natsu just shrugged at the lost looking Lion-Man.

"Oh well buddy, you tried." Smirking sadistically, the Slayer launched himself at the man and before he could react, Natsu had already reached out and grabbed his whole head in both hands. Digging his clawed nails into the poor Demon's eyes, and his feet into the hole he previously left in his devastating wake. Tempester didn't even get the chance to scream before Natsu's voice rang out.

" **Draconic Fire God's Bellowing Roar**!" Reigning death and fire down onto the exposed and beaten body of the Calamity Demon, Natsu spewed fire and with a vortex of flames trapped his opponent into a continuous state of disarray and paint. Then, after a few seconds, he felt his feet fall. Landing back onto the brunt and scorched ground, his hair overshadowing his iris-less eyes, he stood as the ashy remains of what once was Tempester spread all around him like its own cloud with drops of black snow battering the environment. And directly behind where the Demon was standing, sat a filled in, black figure surrounded by the brown earth. It was Tempester, his body and figure etched into the earth due to the fire and the light, this art piece preserving his memory for however long the earth remained intact.

Suddenly though, a new noise filled his newly higher sensitive ears. It sounded like… some sort of machine, its gears and cogs grinding against each other with great strain along with the sloshing and movement of some sort of liquid accompanied by the small steps of tiny feet. Strange… and these materials felt alive somehow, like some new form of life was just being breathed into them as they chugged and moved along the train track of mystery. And all these shifts and rumblings were happening directly under his feet. There was something else going on at Tartaros...

Turning his attention back to the shocked Demon's, he saw that they had very little remorse for their team-mate in their eyes and instead it was just shock at how he did it. And looking at them, at their non-existent horror at his actions towards their 'friend'… it angered him; they should feel something, ANYTHING towards their friend for his new state of nothing but ash and they all just were shocked about him? Despicable in Natsu's mind.

"I thought that he was your friend, your team-mate, your family in Tartaros… So why have you all got this look on your face that shows me that you do not give a single shit about him?" Natsu asked solemnly, taking a few more earth shattering steps towards the Demon's and away from the explosion's silhouette. Kyoka was the first to answer after a few seconds of silence.

"We are Demon's; we feel only fickle and meaningless emotions like greed and lust, we care not for the compassions that you humans feel." A sinister grin made its way across her face as she thought that she was gaining the upper hand. "And that is why we Demons are superior."

Glaring holes into the front of the green haired woman's face, he thought about her proposal. Were humans weak because they held onto personal and emotional connections? If this statement was true, then he would most definitely know. The Slayer had been abandoned by his family, his father, for no reason at all and he had spent all of the time in his world since he was 11 looking for that fucking Dragon only to come up with nothing but a few seemingly meaningless dates. And what about his family at Fairy Tail? Over the last 2 years, he had grown so strong without needing to worry about anyone else around him; he had learned a new magic, he had learned a new powerful form change, he had done so much all without them being here. So maybe… Maybe he did _ **n't need them at all.**_

Shaking his head clear of those thoughts, Natsu began to speak.

"No, you're wrong." Looking up with a narrowed gaze, Natsu began to make his way towards the 4 Demons before him, anger and spite in his tone. "Humans on their own, are weak. They are fickle, they rely on only themselves and their own selfish desires to pull them through. Hell, I'm being selfish right now by coming out here, far away from my home to become stronger. I thought that being strong meant being powerful and that was it but no, strength is never based on a judge of power or combat prowess; it is based on how you react and how you help those you love and care about. Fairy Tail has helped me through so much to the point where I honestly believe that I would be dead without them. They are the reason I stand here before you, they are the reason why I fight, they are the reason why I am strong." Finishing his walk, he stood face to face with Kyoka, having to look down slightly at the shorter Demon. "So you tell me; do these weak and fickle emotions that are bred from friendship and love truly make us weak? Or do they make us the strongest beings in all of Earthland?"

Wide eyed and fearful, Kyoka leapt backwards with a mighty leap away from the deadly man before shouting.

"What are you waiting for, attack him!"

Suddenly, all 4 figures of Torafuzar, Jackal, Keyes and Ezel all jumped at him with a roar and a battle cry.

" **Slash Arm**!"

" **Bomb Curse: Exploding Spiral**!"

" **Judgement of Malefic Star**!"

" **Tenga Goken: Juzumaru**!"

Smirking, Natsu dodged backwards with a small jump to avoid the first swing of the tentacle-d beast before spinning on his back to avoid the swarming and all-consuming power of Keye's staff, ending off by swinging around and sliding under Torafuzar's sharp arm. Then, as he felt the exploding power of Jackal grow near, he leapt up onto Torafuzar's head pushing him back and towards the oncoming explosions with the back of his heels as he made his way high into the sky. The result left the Lizard-Man spiralling out of control and into the explosions, creating a massive blast that sent all four Demon's flying up and into the skies above the battle-ground.

Jumping down onto the mid-air chest of Ezel, Natsu smirked devilishly at the Demon before flinging him down with a simple downwards kick, leaving Ezel planted firmly into the dirt and earth. Never stopping his assault, he then jumped at Jackal, grabbing the Demon by the head before slamming his nose and the front of his skull into his scaled and sharpened knee with such power and intensity that he actually left and indent in the skin. Using his head as a springboard, the Slayer launched himself up and into the skies before coming down into a spear-head shape that let him collide with the Necromancer's stomach and send him several meters flying away from him. Finally, Natsu jumped over Keyes and slid under Torafuzar before delivering a powerful punch to the Demon's back which sent him flying even higher than he was previously.

After the chaos died down, the still powered up Natsu, still high on the effects of the Dragon-God Force, stood away from the prone and decimated forms of the Demonic creatures of Tartaros and he was currently skulking towards Kyoka, who herself was gritting her teeth in anger. Her eyes showed anger and desperation as she quickly backpedalled even further before launching herself at Natsu, hoping to heighten his pain sensitivity even more.

However, when she got a few metres before him, the pinkette grabbed her arm and pulled her towards his own head where he smashed the two together, his scales colliding with her hardened bird-like skin, and creating a small miniature shockwave with the power and intensity. Sending the girl flying back about 15 meters with blood flying out of her gullet, she quietly spoke a few words.

"Sayla, now."

Suddenly, Natsu felt a new Demonic presence enter the battle-field. Turning his attention to the source, he found his attention captured by a beautiful woman standing on top of the Tartaros Guild Hall. She had gorgeous glowing white skin that made her look like a doll and long purple hair that flowed down to an amazing figure and form hugging kimono. To others, her half-lulled purple orbs would have been cold but to Natsu, they held a strange warmth and as their eyes met from off in the distance, he felt some dark presence try to claw and scratch at his very soul to go and… claim her?

These thoughts were interrupted when the woman raised her hand and a dark and powerful, yet invisible energy began to pass all throughout the grounds and past the Slayer's stationary form; the presence and control that the figure had left him with a cold chill that spread all the way down him spine. This energy, not unlike the Curse's previously massed by Keyes, swirled and consumed the ground and the earth but it was dominating and endearing then before… And if this was more demeaning and controlling then a power that lets the user control the dead.

Suddenly, the pained grunts and pants of the Demon's surrounding him filled his ears. Twisting on his heels, he saw all 5 of them begin to pant and shake and shiver with something evil and dark, the stench of death and terror becoming more and more present as their bones and skins shifted and broke. Then, a loud shout and a final war-cry erupted from them all as they finally stopped moving and stood up.

Now, Natsu was swimming with the monsters.

The beast where Jackal once lay was a massive creature that easily matched Torafuzar's previous height with yellow fur and the maw of a wild dog. He had fierce, sharp and narrowed slits for eyes as well as a more muscular body and form with sharper claws and more dog-like qualities about him overall. Fortunately, he still retained his shorts but his shoes were gone, shredded by his now clawed feet. He truly had become the Jackal.

Next to him, Ezel stood. Now, however, he was donned in eccentric and sturdy looking battle armour. Most of his head, minus a bit of his 'hair', was covered in this black material with blades where his eyebrows should be. The top part of his chest along with his shoulders was also covered but the material itself petered down into a triangle that ended near the centre of his torso. However, the most noticeable change was that his four arms were no long just arms; from the middle of his limb down, the formed into shiny black blades of steel that were huge and menacing in appearance. He looked strong… bring him on.

And then behind him stood the new tallest member, Torafuzar. His old Lizard-Man frame had all-but disappeared, his body no longer holding the same sharp and hard scales. Instead, his whole body appeared to be made of a new, stronger and sturdy material even stronger than his scales. This change in flesh was complimented by his massive change in bulk, with his pectorals growing in size significantly and now they held loads of large holes in them. The bulk also extended to his arms, were they grew bulkier and larger, and to his head, where his chin grew wider and larger and the rest of his head grew more muscular and heavy. Fish-Men be dammed.

Then there was Keyes. His mask had broken, revealing a scratched and worn down skull with two tusk like extremities growing from the top of each cheek in a curved upwards fashion. The bottom of his chin grew a large golden spike and the mask that once adorned his face fell around to cover the back of his head in a sort of head-dressing of yellow and blue. His robes of the Arch-Bishop had gone, replaced by more regale looking robes that covered quite a lot less of his bony body the before but now it had threads of webs and hard structures of what appeared to be bone-like-muscle growing there. His staff had also gone through a transformation, becoming longer and more battle-orientated with a sphere on the end with spikes and different ornaments gathering on it.

Hearing movement behind him, Natsu looked over to see that Kyoka herself had also changed. Her hair had changed from spiking out to the sides to spiking out to the top of her head along with two golden horns that curved down to her chin. Atop her hair, she had also grown a small guard-like, shield mask that covered her forehead and overshadowed her brow and around the back of her whole head, from her neck upwards, was a feathery covering. Her nails had also grown far, far longer and had become far sharper, giving the woman more of a Demonic feel, and fur and feathers had begun to grow on her legs.

The air was tense and silent before Kyoka spoke up.

"So then, Dragon Fire God Slayer, what do you think of the Etherious Forms of the Demons of Zeref?"

 _Zeref?_

Turning around fully, he looked her dead on in the eye. Zeref created them? The same Zeref who he met on Tenroue, who thre ** _atened his friends, who probably attracted Acnologia?_** That Zeref?! With a growl and a roar, Natsu let lose a blast or red hot fiery energy onto the world before smirking sadistically.

"It fires me up… And I expect a good fight from you."

Roaring with anger and rage, Natsu lit his whole being on fie and leapt forward towards Kyoka, who did the same with the two meeting in the middle. First, Kyoka tried to scratch at Natsu with her claws, intent on cutting deep into his skin. Skidding on his knees to avoid it, Natsu grabbed hold of her waist and flung himself up with his leg raised.

" **Draconic Fire God's Winged Scythe**!" Smashing the weaponised limb down onto Kyoka's back, he smirked as he heard her let out a shout of pain as the blade of fire engulfed her. However, she fought through the pain and turned herself over, kicking him in the chest and pushing him back.

" **Whip Talons**!" Performing several flips and twirls to avoid the attacks and damage intended to be inflicted onto him by the long, flexible talons of the bird Demon, Natsu landed onto the ground in a crouch before he set his feet alight and launched himself at Kyoka with a fiery fist.

" **Draconic Fire God's Frenzied Fist**!" Scraping his scales and knuckles against the woman's face, he let the leader of Tartaros become engulfed in the initial explosion before sending her flying back towards the approaching Demon group, the tendrils of fire soon seeking her out with crimson targets and exploding on impact, sending her careening through the skies. Smirking at his victory, Natsu felt something move beside him. Quickly moving over, he was met by the enlarged fist of Torafuzar hitting his entire body.

" **Crushing Fist**!" The Lizard-Man put some more force into the punch but the Slayer barely moved from his spot, only taking a single foot off of the floor to position himself to deliver another attack.

" **Draconic Fire God's Outbreak Blade**!"Launching himself up, he began to hit and tear at the Demon's skin in one powerful and explosive attack. The explosion and fiery vortex created sent the Demon flying sky high with Natsu still attached so he finished it off but manoeuvring himself so he was standing on Torafuzar's chest and sent him flying down onto the floor with a fierce kick. Using the momentum to his advantage, Natsu cut through the air and towards Ezel, who was readying his four blades to hit the approaching target.

" **Tenga Goken: Juzumaru**!" Swinging his blades around with a master's precision, Ntasu just smiled as he landed on one of the stationary blades and became to hop from one to the other as the rapidly moved around. Criss-crossing from one to another, he could see Ezel start to become agitated so he smirked and launched himself at Ezel's face. Another devastating head-butt came, slamming into the hard and durable material with hard, brute force. For Natsu, it slightly hurt but for Ezel it was searing fiery pain. Crying out, the Demon flung all his sword up in an upwards motion, sending Ntasu towards the skies. Performing more flips and twirls, Natus readied his next attack, aiming it for Jackal.

" **Draconic Fire God's Ejection Drop**!" Kicking off of the very air itself, the Slayer set all of his being alight and sent himself charging through the air at Jackal. As he descended, he felt the approach cause his body to become even more fire-filled and dangerous until he finally reached Jackal. Screaming out, he let his body collide with the beast's body with a colossal explosion that coated the earth in fire.

After a few seconds, Natsu emerged with Jackal's head in his hand, dragging him across the dirt and matting his fur with blood and mud. Said Demon tried to snap and growl and claw at him but he simply threw him up a few feet with his jaws open before smashing his foot into the open maw with a massive amount of strength. Under his skin, he felt the Jackal's flesh rip and tear as he sent the man to the ground in a fit of cries and howls. Smirking, Natsu felt a new presence move behind him.

" **Necromancy: Undead Mist**!" Reacting quickly, Natsu performed a large jump over the newly introduced Keyes who was staring into his very being with hollow eyes. All around the skeleton man was a thick purple mist and from within it, Natsu could hear the screams and cries of Keye's previous victims. Growling in anger, he became to throw himself down onto the man but a new voice interrupted him.

" **Tenchi Kaimei**!" Turning in mid-air, Natsu watched on as Torafuzar summone gallons of purple water from nowhere and sent it rushing towards him. From his nose, he could tell that it was dangerous and poisonous and that he would die if he got it in his system. Landing ontop of Keyes, he grabbed the skeleton man by his tusks and flipped him over so he was on his back on the floor before he jumped ontop of his skull, cracking it significantly as he ran to engage the water Curse. Summoning a ball of fire in his hand as the tsunami of poison approached, Natsu screamed out.

" **Draconic God's Secret Art, Ashbringers Fall: Amaterasu's Radiant Flame**!" Jumping up with a shout, Natsu smashed the orb of light into the ground, sending fire and chaos all around the battlefield. Light flooded the arena more than the actual water. Said poison didn't even make its target as the fire and flames ate away at the water, devouring it in a fiery mess filled survival of the fittest. After the fire died down, steam and mist coated the battlefield in a thick layer that Natsu could not witness.

Panting heavily, Natsu looked around for any sign of the enemy. Taking a step forward, the ground broke and croaked but the Slayer winced along with it. Looking at his shoulder and his back, he saw that he had gained a large and long slash wound from his right shoulder to the end of this back.

"Ha, lucky shot." Smirking, he set his hand on fire with a more transparent and clear crimson that reminded him of a certain red-head's hair. Now smiling softly at the memories, Natsu pushed the flaming palm against his back, utter a spell as he did so.

" **Draconic Fire God's Healing Phoenix Fire**." Sighing in relief as pain washed away from his body, a clear and soothing fire overflowed his senses and he felt the wound stitch up with molten fire, reattaching itself with threads of heat and energy. As he healed himself, he looked around to see if anyone survived. If they had, he must have not put enough energy into it but at the moment he couldn't tell.

Suddenly, Kyoka's strained voice broke out.

"NOW!"

Out of the thick mist, all 5 hulking figures of the Etherious leapt out of the fog and they all converged onto the prone Slayer. Shocked and out of options, Natsu decided to use a spell that he knew would probably knock him out after using it due to his wound, which was still healing, but he needed to end this now; he was tired and he needed answers!

" **Hidden Fire Form - Ashbringers Fall: Cataclysm**!" After the chant ended, a fierce and powerful explosion filled the arena which sent the Demon's flying back with fire engulfing them all. From his still standing position, large fiery wings of a Dragon began to sprout from Natsu's back and they kept growing until they appeared as magnificent and deadly creations of the Dragon's themselves. He also gained a long fiery snout forged from flames and claws and a tail from the same crimson energy. Alongside his Dragon-God Force, he appeared as a beast, a monster; a Dragon!

Growling out at the now standing Tartaros members, he let the wings flap once and that alone sent an almost nuclear blast screaming throughout the earth, fire spurting out from the flap and shooting across the world both left and right; the crimson rose high into the skies like a barrier, stopping anything from getting I nor out. The air grew so humid that the very sky just seemed to dry out and die, stopping it from giving any oxygen. Taking a few steps forward, Natsu let the world crumble beneath his feet before he reared his head back and his wings followed suit.

As the Demon's watched on in horror and awe, a large fire ball began to form in-between the two curled back wings of Natsu and a similar fire was beginning to form in his Dragon-like snout. It kept building up and up and up until the spheres of fire were so hot and volcanic that it was almost like the Earth's very core itself was implanted into his throat. Then, with one final roar, he let out the words.

" **CATACLYSM ROAR!"**

The energy and fire also spat out at once and like a nuke, it just took off and both blasts of fire just conjoined into one, twisting and turning into one spiral vortex of flames that absorbed and burnt anything that got in its way. It scorched and scarred the earth, melted the landscape and sent a blast that could level a city blasting in a single direction.

The Demon's never stood a chance.

Trees and forest were decimated, lakes and rivers were dried up into steam and ash ran rampant throughout the air in a fit of fire and energy. And Natsu had caused all this chaos and all this destruction… Now he was going to claim his prize.

Stumbling forward as the fires fade, he felt exhaustion creep up on him like an assassin and it's not really surprising either; not only did he fight 7 different Demon's that would give all of Fairy Tail a hard time but he also unlocked a new Force Mode and he used a spell that he had never been able to control or even summon before now. Exhaustion was the bare minimum for it.

And as he felt himself fall to the ground and as two shadowy figures began to approach his falling figure, one though lingered throughout his mind.

' _Did I make you proud… Fairy Tail?'_

* * *

 **BOO YAA! FIGHT COMPLETE! I hope it lived up to your expectation and yes, I know Keyes didn't have an Etherious form in the anime or the manag but the is an Etherious and it is said that all Etherious have the power to turn into an Etherious form so I put it in. If your having troubling picturing him, think of an undead, skeleton Pharoah... Nothing else really came to mind, okay?**

 **Also, this is not the last time we will see Tartaros... In fact next chapter he will still be with Tartaros so if you think I under-used the Etherious forms or didn't use enough of the members like Silver or Franmalth.. don't worry, they will fight again soon.**

 **Anyway, so the harem for the time being) has been decided and will stay at:**

 **Erza**

 **Mira**

 **Ultear**

 **Lisanna**

 **Brandish**

 **Dimaria**

 **Irene**

 **Sayla**

 **Cana**

 **At least... that's it for the time being. Yes, if there is enough support form ore memebrs then I will add some more people on so... still vote? I dunno, do what you want with your lives.**

 **So, next chapter, Natsu awakes to some forgotten memories and remembers some things that he wishes he would have never remembered... See you then.**

 **-Jack**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello everybody and welcome back to Slayer's Flame!**

 **Yes, yes, I know that this was out late but unfortunately I have pre-public exams going on at the minute and between revision and homework, its kind of hard to find time to write so I'm sorry that this is out late. But hey, its here! And the next chapter should be out this Sunday as well, getting back on schedule and all that so yay!**

 **Now that I have briefly explained my absence, I will talk about harem votes. As of right now, the 9 I chose last time are it as of this moment but as I was reading through the reviews I saw a MASSIVE jump for Wendy, I think she got an extra 11+ votes which would put her total at around 29 so... I have no lcue what to do at this point. Just know that if I do put Wendy in, THAT IS IT! I cannot do more then 10, trust me, my writing will just get shitty and sloppy. If you want good large harem stories, read something like Little Dragon From the Future by NatsuHaremFan cause they do it masterfully and it is great while I need to write smaller groups to get that good amount of impact so 10 is the best that I can do... Sorry to disappoint. I'll leave it up in the air for this chapter but if she does get a lot of support then Wendy will be the final girl (and by support i just mean people going 'Yea sure put Wendy in').**

 **Now onto reviews!**

 **Hunter XZ: Thank you and yea, you did bring up a lot of good points but I'll try and justify my reasoning a lil' bit here.**

 **1) As you will learn more in this chapter, that power up from Dragon-God Force sort of did... something that awoke... something that then has an instinctual hatred of said man so he would automatically pin the blame on Zeref for everything due to the nature that he feels towards that person. I went back and made that bit bold like the other bit where this happened in the chapter cause it didn't do it when I went through originally but yea, that was my fault for not making it clear. Sorry.**

 **2) Fairy Tail is just his drive pretty much, what he thinks about to justify him being out here. He believes that EVERYTHING is a threat to Fairy Tail after Acnologia and especially after Hyperion who just slaughtered a town for his attention so he would be worried for Fairy Tail's safety especially if Hyperion is linked to Tartaros, a dark Guild that was part of the alliance that Fairy Tail helped break apart so yea, it was mainly just over protectiveness that drove him to think about Fairy Tail during his fight with Tartaros but once again I may not have made that very clear so I apologise.**

 **3) By power, he isn't talking about strength which he classifies as a separate thing and that is the thing that he counts as magic power and spell attack power and all that while power if just the life blood of his battle and how his ambition and his need to protect is what makes him powerful enough to become strong. Kind of weird word wise but I hope that this is explained a little bit better cause, once again, I ain't very good at explaining shit.**

 **4) Eh, he's Natsu; he cares about everyone to some extent. Case in point, he doesn't kill that often and if actively angry at those that kill their own Guild-mates such as Zancrow so the race of the person committing those crimes wouldn't care to him just the fact that it is going on. Also, he doesn't really know about the proper use of the term Etherious yet so they are just Demons to him and he has seen a 'family' of Demons before so it would also stem from that. As for him just straight up killing Tempester... eh. If I was trying to be smart, I'd say that it was like when he killed those people when he first activated his God Slaying magic, that he was just so full of adrenaline thathe didn't notice his actions but as previously stated, the new form did something to his brain that made him more brutal and more in line with a certain other thing in Natsu's mind that he has had locked away from him.**

 **So yea hope that clears it up a bit. Thanks for the questions though.**

 **Wingd Knight: Ehh... maybe lemons, contemplating it.**

 **Maxe03: As previously stated, Natsu sees strength and power as two different things so power comes from the ambition and strive that he has where as strength is just his literal strength and attack force where as the reaction thing was just something stupid I put it. And yes, Natsu has called himself selfish so he does understand that he is a very selfish human being.**

 **Fenrir44: I just can't write big harems: tried it for like 1 chapter with one of my other stoires for a test chapter and I hated it. I just need character development and set up with characters like that and 10+ is really pushing it.**

 **Now onto Chapter 11!**

* * *

He just lay there, stationary, lifeless, alone.

A mop of pink surrounded by green liquid that obscured and matted his frame in undesired colours and wetness, bobbing slowly up and down as wires and cables attached to several parts of his body in mismatched and cruel ways. The tube was quite large so keeping the boy inside it wasn't hard… but looking at him, a boy that was known for his smile and happy attitude, to see him looking dead and to see him becoming one of his captors was torturous.

Or, at least it would have. If that was what was happening.

"So you're telling Mard Geer that nothing is happening." The leader of Tartaros stood before a fellow Etherious with a scowl and a frown on his angular face, with Sayla and Silver stood by his side; the two were the only other Demons left standing after what happened between this Natsu figure and the rest of the Guild. Heh, to say it was a massacre wouldn't do it justice.

"Yep! Usually, the particles inside the chamber would burn at the user magic supplies until there is nothing and then the Demonic particles would begin to fill them with Curse power but… something is blocking the solution from getting past his magic." The high pitched squeak came from the short Etherious that stood before Mard. She possessed a short height with a lithe frame and figure alongside short black hair and… black bunny ears? Her outfit consisted of a simple white lab coat with several large pink pom-poms adorning the sides of coat, which itself sat atop a black shirt outlined in purple and a short shirt in a similar style. Completing her look were a pair of long white tights that led to purple boots and a purple tie reading '1/16' sat around her neck.

"Do you have any idea what it is?" Sayla asked, her eyes hungrily eating up the Slayer's naked form. His upper body was glistening from the green liquid and his hair was messy and matted but to Sayla, it made him all the more irresistible. However, now she was getting to see his body up close, she noticed how many cuts and scars were adorning his body; whether they be small or large, they absolutely shredded his form but not to the point where they obscured his tan skin and there were significant areas of untouched flesh in-between each scar. As an Etherious who got healed up in a very similar tank that Natsu was in now, Sayla didn't have any scars or scratches; Demon's typically see it as some kind of sign of weakness so they try to avoid getting them by healing after every fight… well most do anyway. But this boy, despite knowing some kind of advanced healing magic to do with his Slayer magic architype, let himself gain these scratches and these scars, let them stain his skin for all eternity. Humans certainly were strange creatures.

Another thing to point out was his curled up position, hiding his unmentionables away from their eye sight much to Sayla's annoyance, which seemed quite relaxed and in no pain at all. Usually, if the subject was human then the Demonic particle would hurt and break down their molecular structure to get at their magic and it would just burn and hurt and cause them so much pain that their usual position in the chamber was to spasm and twist about. Lamy was saying that she was trying to create a more stable solution that would mean that the subject wouldn't be under that much pain as the procedure took place, as a damaged test subject usually lead to worse results, but in Sayla's mind she just thought that the young Etherious enjoyed watching her creations twist and writhe in pain.

"No, not yet. You told me that he had significant amounts of power in both his locked and unlocked forms in the battle against the rest of the Gates so perhaps it has to do with his amount of Magical power inside his body…" Lamy started, turning back to look at the hanging boy draped in wires and steel. "But to be honest, I'd rather not find out; lets me see this hunk for a little bit longer." The bunny-haired girl grew a lecherous grin as she too, looked Natsu up and down like a piece of meat. And for the first time in her life, Sayla felt a tinge of jealously.

"Ahem." Silver finally spoke up, the Ex-Exorcist mage deciding to stay quiet since the end of the fight. "How are the other members doing? You know… after Scales over here fucked 'em up?" Stopping her subconscious scowling, Sayla found herself wondering the same thing. After the battle had subsided, Lamy had told them about how she was planning to try and give the damaged Demon's new bodies that would be stronger than before but she hadn't really divulged that much information to the two before she scampered off, leaving them to carry the Slayer boy to this isolated chamber.

Speaking of which, the female Demon felt her eyes wander around the room that they currently resided in. It was a sectioned off part of the Hell's Core, but it was significantly further away than any other part of the Core and away from the other Demons. Almost like damaged control. The room itself was pretty basic; the same dark and drab interior with concrete ceilings and floors but this room had a bit more in the way of internal padding, with some desks and tables of steel lying about with papers and books laid haphazardly before them. From a glance, their pages seemed to be going over some procedures and theories on Demonic particles… Probably just some of Lamy's research.

"Oh them? They are all fine, just resting up in the Core. Oo! I almost forgot! Do you wanna see the hot new bodies that I gave them?!" Lamy started off her sentence quiet uninterested but as she got onto the art that was involved in her creations, her interest and tone piqued with her eyes growing wider and a faint blush dusting her cheeks. All 3 Tartaros Members present let out a sigh of distain at the girl.

"Fine, humour Mard Geer." The black haired Guild Master spoke with his usual uninterested tone, sounding like he was just going with her to get her to stop talking.

"Yes, I would not mind seeing our team-mates again. Will you be following us Silver?" Sayla followed in her Master's shoes, deciding to follow her fellow Demons but before leaving she just wanted to clarify somethings with the Devil Slayer. He had been kind of off since the fight between the encased Slayer and the Demon Gates had begun and he had begun to grow progressively stranger as the day continued onwards.

"No… I'm going to stay here and look over the subject for a bit longer, see if anything happens with the particles and what not. After all, I ain't seen a Demon creation from a human yet so I wanna stick around for it." Silver answered nonchalantly, turning his whole attention back to the floating human while the others just shrugged and began to make their way towards the main area of Hell's Core, Lamy's little voice bouncing off of the halls the whole way there.

" _Oh! Oh! I gave Tempester this really nice, really hot- "_

" _Really? Oh, I am ecstatic to see it, truly._

" _Hey take this seriously dammit!"_

Chuckling slightly at the interactions between the female Demons, the Devil Slayer soon found himself caught in a staring contest with eyes that were shut and locked tight, not allowing their user to get a grasp on the world around him. Suddenly, the air grew cold and frost began to eat away at the concrete floor as Silver started to slowly walk forward.

"Natsu, huh? Sounds foreign." He started, eyeing the boy's pink hair and tan skin.

"And a Mage of Fairy Tail by the looks of that Guild Mark on your arm." Silver also muttered, now focusing in on the red mark that was sown into the boy's shoulder.

"But then why are you here if you are with Fairy Tail? Were you perhaps on a job? Or were you exiled for what you were…" Finally reaching the glass, Silver grew a sadistic smirk as he placed his hands on the glass and watched in glee and the icy extremities that left his hand crept up the entire pane, shielding it from the outside.

"Demon." Soon, the senior Fullbuster found himself laughing as Natsu's body let out a mild spasm as heat and fire flooded the chamber which burnt away the ice easily. Placing his hands on his hips and staring the convulsing boy in his closed eyes, the Exorcist's voice grew low.

"Oh well; either way you are just another Demon for me to kill when this is all over." Huffing, Silver turned on his heel and began skulking outside and back to the Core, his boots smashing his pre-made ice as he walked.

"Enjoy the rest of Hell, Natsu. Well as much of it as you can see out of that tube."

* * *

The world was on fire.

It was all encompassing and angry, nipping and biting at everything in his field of vision as the flames soaked into the very sky and the earth to crunch down even further onto the landscape. These flames were radiant and bright, orange and red pooling off of them like mini-fireworks that seemed to entrance and capture every single moment of anyone's attention. It was just so… complete.

Pure.

 **Primal.**

Shaking his head at the destruction that he had awoken to, Natsu tried to figure out where he was. Last thing that he could remember was fighting those Demons at Tartaros but this place was certainly not Tartaros; Hell, he didn't even know if this place was in Fiore… in Earthland! There were buildings of wood, based on the way that the fire was just completely consuming them, and there was a heavy smell of death and burning flesh in the air that made his stomach flip and turn with disgust. Trying some fickle attempt to find someone or something, Natsu tried to run through the fire and towards the sounds of screaming that had begun to pierce the skies.

However, he didn't make it very far through the flames.

Just like with Hyperion, he felt his body shoot up with heat and flames as a gargled growl came from his throat. Pushing himself backwards and away from the fire, Natsu bit his tongue in an attempt to ease some of the burning. Looking down, he noticed that while his skin felt hot and scarred, nothing was there. Just… nothing; the skin was clean. In fact, he didn't even have his scars that he had accumulated over the last 2 years. What the-

"Natsu!"

Shooting his head up like a rifle bullet, Natsu tried to pin-point the origin of the noise but for some reason his senses weren't as sharp as they usually were. After performing a whole 360 spin of the arena Natsu finally located noise… or more accurately, the noise located him. After finishing his round, he watched in awe as the flames before him seemed to split and rip apart before his very eyes into fragile figments that left the ground and a large patch of earth free. And standing there before the Salamander, were two figures.

The first was a man with short pink hair that was very similar to Natsu's own hair colour along with some sharp, angular red eyes, outlined by onyx. His frame seemed to be quite muscular and his skin was actually sort of pale while for his appearance he wore a white toga-like-sheet along with some sandals.

Meanwhile, the man also had another figure cradled into his arms and it was a crying woman. She had long black hair that was tied up at the back into a bun with two tails falling down the front of her face with some large onyx eyes and a tan complexion. As for her own appearance, she was quite buxom and donned a similar toga-like-sheet to the man while also having some sort of red and gold neck-guard tied around her neck while she also had sandals on her feet. And while Natsu was certain that he had never seen these people in his life, his heart leapt out of his chest and his brow became full of sweat before he felt a few words just sort of fumble out of his mouth.

"Mother… Father…" It was subconscious and while Natsu himself had no idea while he said it, it appeared that the two figures saw him and heard him.

"Natsu! What are you still doing here?! Where is your brother?!" First it was the man who asked, his eyes wide and his tone conflicting between harsh and caring with Natsu just standing there frozen with confusion.

"Brother…. What are you talking a-"

"Natsu! Listen to me, baby." Now it was the woman's turn to speak and she had removed herself from the man's chest to look Natsu dead in the eyes, onyx looking back at onyx and only now did Natsu realise how similar in colour they were. "Go find your brother, go find Zeref and tell him to get you two out of here now!"

That name… again.

"Zeref? What do you mean?" Natsu asked once more, his tone shaky and his eyes wide.

"Go and get out of this village now Natsu! Just know that we love you both very much and that we couldn't be happier at how you and Zeref both turned out. We lo- "The woman was leaning forward with tears constantly flowing freely from her large eyes like waterfalls but as she was speaking with her voice getting slowly softer and softer, a large shadow began to engulf the area around the two. And with a sickening crash and the crunch of bone and blood, a Dragon now stood where the two figures once stood.

Where… his parents once stood.

"Mom! Dad!" Despite not even knowing what was going on, Natsu just knew one thing at the minute; those two people WERE his parents, they just were! He didn't know how to explain it but before he could even think, tears had burst forth from his eyes as he saw the pale hand of his 'father' poking out from the Dragon's leg. Now he was freely crying, the inferno continuing to rage on before him as his water filled eyes followed the Dragon's every movement as it looked his body up and down before it seemed to scoff and began to suck air into its lungs.

A breath attack.

But Natsu just felt too defeated to even move so he watched as thick orange fire began to spew from the beast's maw and towards him and the very last thing her heard before flames consumed his vision was a single shout.

 _"Brother!"_

* * *

"Brother."

Hearing that voice again after what seemed like an eternity in a white plain, Natsu slowly let one of his eyelids fold upwards as he tried to get used to his new surroundings. Then he realised… there was no crackling of fire, no smell of burning flesh or even smell at all and his vision was being obscured slightly by darkness. He wasn't where he was a second ago… He wasn't with his parents anymore.

Letting his eyes shoot open with fierce intensity, he quickly began to dart his head around where he was only to see that he was trapped and boxed into some sort of tiny sphere with a pink water-like goop surrounding his whole body which was halting his movement. Panic and shock filled his face as he looked around only to see darkness and the void projected back from the pain of glass that sat before him and he could feel numerous amounts of wires and strings of steel and copper poking and digging into his body; his spine, his arms, his neck, his hands and his face were all subject to this with a tube having been placed over his mouth.

Now all he felt… was confusion and pain as he replayed that last scene over and over again. For the first time in over 20 years, he had seen some semblance of his biological family outside of Igneel and in that same instant, they had been killed right before him. It didn't feel real! It felt like a nightmare, a dream…

A memory.

Suddenly, a large chink with what sounded like steel and metal sounded above him and he could only watch as the darkness before him was pulled away to reveal a dull light with a figure standing before it. And Natsu couldn't believe who he saw standing there.

Zeref.

He looked younger, more full of life and joy but it was still the depressing, critical and harsh Dark-mage that he met back on Tenroue. Thinking back to some of his previous claims on the wizard, a sudden thought ran through his head. Why the Hell did he blame him for Tenroue's destruction? Why did he blame him for hurting his friends? Why did he blame him like that? But it didn't feel like it was himself doing it… it felt as if it was just natural.

A reflex.

 **Instinctual.**

Unable to comment on the mage, he watched as he approached Natsu with some sort of golden locket in his hands. Sighing, Zeref took in a deep breath before looking down at the pink haired boy.

"Can… can you hear me Natsu?"

Feeling himself move, he let his head nod up and down and deep down, he couldn't help but smile at the beaming grin that spread across Zeref's face. Wait… didn't his mother call Zeref his brother before she died. And if that was what he thought a memory was… then what was this? Was this also a memory? And was Zeref his actual brother?! What the fuck was going on!?

"That is good brother, very good." Well that answers one question. He knew that he should be reacting more, but his body and mind felt sluggish and exerted of energy so he just let the mage continue to speak. "Natsu… I screwed up."

"Since that day, all those years ago when Mom and Dad and… and you died, I have been so alone, so lost without your guidance that it was killing me inside not to see any of you." He paused. "Do you know where you are Natsu?"

He shook his head.

"Good, let me tell you. In those years that I was alone, I went down a very dark road and started to learn some more… evil forms of magic. I started experimenting with life and death." Sighing once more, Zeref stood up and walked over to the dome to the point where now Natsu could see a book in his hand, a book with 3 large letters on the front.

E.

N.

D.

E.N.D? What the Hell does that mean?

"Oh, I see that you have seen the book. Well Natsu… this is you now. I have gone deep enough into the dark arts to recreate you into a new body from one of these books. You are known as an Etherious due to your body being made up of Etherano and that is why you are in this tank. You can live again brother, you can live! And you will be stronger than any other being in this world, I can assure you that!" Zeref made a chuckle as a few tears leaked out of his eyes before he suddenly went sombre.

"However, there is something else that I have written into your 'code', as it will. Natsu, in that time where I was learning about these arts, I met a lot of different people; some were very nice people but others… others hated me. One of these people I angered was the God, Ankhseram, for playing around with life and death and… and he cursed me for it." Reaching up, Zeref showed his brother his blackened palm with swirling midnight energy in the centre.

"I was cursed to kill anything that came into contact with me. So Natsu, I have tasked you with one thing in this book alongside living your life… I want you to kill me."

Silence filled Natsu's mind. This was just so much to take in at one time and as his brain was overflowing with information without the proper emans to react to it, he just felt lost in his own body. Zeref was his brother… who made him a… a Demon… and programmed him to kill him. This was all just… just.

"Don't worry Natsu, I still have to do some tests first before I can have you kill me. And I do want you to live your life while I do so… but for your own safety I think that it is best that you forget me for now." With a deep sigh, Zeref stood up from his crouched position and moved over to a part at the back of the machine as Natsu could feel his head being moved around by the cable attached to it.

"Trust me, it will be much easier for me to teach you to kill me and teach you about your new powers as my most powerful Etherious when you can't remember me; that way you have no emotions or drawbacks to killing me." Natsu could hear the tears and sadness in his voice. "So for now… this is goodbye Natsu. Know that I will always remember you, even if you do not rmebeer me and know that I love you very much so… Be safe-"

He hit the switch and Natsu's head shot full of memories and images of his Mother and Father and Zeref and his town and the sky and the earth and the fires and the water and the trees and life and-

Nothingness.

"Brother."

* * *

The cold rooms of the Hell's Core felt quiet and empty and dead. Suddenly, heat exploded all around the facility like a nuke that engulfed the whole area as a figure uncoiled himself from his curled up position inside one of the many tubes and containers inside the building.

He spread out, placing his feet and down and standing up to his full height, silence filling the air. Then, with a sudden burst of power, his eyes shot open and balls of crimson fury emerged from within as a dark rumbling sound came forth from his body.

END had awoken…

" **Guess whose back?"**

* * *

 **And there we go! Next chapter we WILL see what my interpretation of END looks like and what triggered his memories as the Etherious transformation requires emotional stress or something along those lines to trigger it so we will see what that is next chapter. So... uh... yeah... See ya? Bye.**

 **-Jack**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello everybody and welcome back to A Slayer's Flame!**

 **Getting to the point, exams are shit... They are terrible. . Getting off that point, I have a few things to say regarding the latest chapter spoilers and of some other stuff.**

 **So I read the Fairy Tail manga (you should if you don't already cause it is good, Chapter 513 should be coming out tomorrow) and every Friday it has spoilers come out. Now, I always read these spoilers as they only show a few pages and not every page in that chapter but this chapters spoilers revealed something... interesting. Now previously, I said that I had no problem with Irene... Yea, I sort of do. I... just can't do Mother-Daughter dating the same guy kind of stuff... Yep. It just sort of weirds me out and I have tried to write some of it before, as a sort of test and trust me I can't write that for shit! Anyway, why am I saying this? Well in that chapter spoilers Irene says that she is Erza's mother... It was sort of obvious but in my mind it could have been her sister or her shadow self or something so that is why I accepted Irene at the time but now... Now I am unsure about it. Yes, I know! I'M A SHITTY PERSON! I get it and I feel like I am seriously letting you down if I make the decision to take her out but I just... I won't be able to write that kind of stuff, I just can't. However, we don't know the whole story yet so I will just put it out there for now; if anything comes up I will tell you and I will make my decision then. Once again, I am so sorry form the bottom of my heart for having to say this kind of stuff after so many of you asked for her... I just... I can't... I just can't write that stuff. Once again, I am so sorry for even having to bring this up but I wanted to warn you incase something does happen and I do have to take her out. Once again, again, I am so fucking sorry to all of you who wanted this, so damn sorry. But hey, you never know... It could be like an adoptive... thing? Who am I kindling...** **I still feel like shit. Don't worry, if I take out Irene she will be replaced by someone else that isn't Wendy so it will still be the same amount of people.**

 **Speaking of Wendy... Wendy looks like she is going the harem. So many people put up their vote for her to be in that I had to so welcome Wendy! Now don't worry, due to the time-skip she will be aged up and she is a little older then in cannon anyway in my my story so that is avoided and all that. But we'll see that when it comes.**

 **Now onto reviews.**

 **TreyAlexander63917: Perhaps but remember that the rest of Fairy Tail has been training over those 2 years so they may have already achieved those limits but he will still give 'em tips and things. And yes, I will include little in between chapters and things.**

 **Talonsen: Sort of... you'll see.**

 **Robert: I explain it in the chapter but END isn't evil, like how Demons aren't evil but they all feast and draw in their power from negative emotions. You'll see more of what I mean in the chapter.**

 **Guest: Well if you think about it, Natsu was technically made to kill... Don't worry, he won't be a killing machine but he isn't so completely against the idea anymore.**

 **Now onto the chapter! (I still feel like shit)**

* * *

It was a sick concoction of sick satisfaction and jaded horror that caused that demented smile to emerged over Natsu's face.

In one smile, every evil and deplorable emotion leaked out into the earth through the seemingly invisible gaps in his teeth as the smirk only grew until it threatened to tear his very cheeks from their seams on his face. Alongside the horrid grin sat his cold, empty eyes that held absolutely nothing but a rich red crimson colour that could pass for the very blood passing before his skull but with its glowing and still presence went against that idea; every time his head moved, his eyes were followed by a thin trail of red, smoke-like neon that seemed several shades lighter and brighter than his eyes, giving off an impression of constant movement.

Quickly sweeping the interior of his chamber, Natsu huffed as the dark thoughts in his mind along with the coiled up, burning energy that was being emitted from his body took over.

" **This place is too fucking cramped."**

His tone was darker, more aggressive and vicious while still holding onto the remnants of Natsu's carefree voice… It was a strange thing, no doubt about that. Grunting out as he felt his back pop with his sudden movement, the pinkette threw his hand up to his face to rip off the face mask that had been covering his mouth, letting it become divided from his body with a small thread of crimson following it before both took off into the bottom of the tank. After watching it helplessly fall, Natsu began to pluck and tear through the remaining wires and tubes that held his body, the one that was suction planted to the base of his spine hurting the most as he haphazardly threw it away from himself and saw t float around his form. Now surrounded by wires and rubber and steel, Natsu used his hands to push himself down onto the bottom of the tank, with his from ending up in a standing up position. Then with his eyes narrowed and his fist tightened, he swiftly pushed his hand to the pane, even through the solution which was slowing him down, with immense force and power. A few seconds past. And then the glass fell away from the panel, the pink water following soon after in waves around Natsu's stationary position.

Rubbing his hand against his knuckle, Natsu just continued to smirk as he set himself down from his prison and began walking to the exit. As he walked, he felt that built up burning passion and build-up of energy from the tank come back with force yet the Slayer didn't fight it… No, he let it completely consume him. With it came a flood of memories; of him and his brother during his memory wipe, of him teaching him about his own Demon heritage and body and what it allowed him to do compared to his old human body, of him and his brother practicing fighting during training and how he felt using Curses and using magic, of him and his brother meeting people around the world… about the abuse his brother faced and how every time he had protected Natsu from those people. Tightening his hold on his pal, Natsu just completely let his Etherious form take over; embrace the END… Heh, good line.

Without missing a single stride, Natsu's skin started to harden and change. It became pure bleach white and as hard as his Dragon Force scales yet it didn't show any signs of such features; it was just a bleach white coat that covered his hole form. Feeling another feeling pass over his face, Natsu turned his head to the left to see a shiny metallic surface that reflected his facial change. As the white sheen covered his face, his nose began to shrink and jut inwards until it became snout-like and more like that of a Dragon's, while his lips and teeth vanished instead becoming two jagged lines of sharpness that jutted out from the sides of his face, with the top jaw featuring very sharp white spikes that represented his new jaw with the two at the very edge becoming like two sharp fangs while his bottom jaw began longer and more spread out until it became like a Dragon's also, boasting a large surface area with thin line on the side leading down to his sharp chin. He only had a few words to describe this transformation, his completely red eyes still counting, and they were monstrous, draconic… primitive. Letting out as much of a smirk as his new jaw could dish out, he felt other changes occur further down his body too. Sweeping his eyes over his naked form, he watched in awe as the white coat covered his hands before they started to shift and becoming large and black with the white ending at a similar diamond junction to the way that Jackal's skin separated itself from his own claws. Along with this, his forearm had become enlarged and at the elbow it split off into two paths, with one shooting past in a jagged and sharp fin-like protrusion yet it wasn't a smooth cut; it was rugged and had clear edges as it made its way up to about the height of his shoulder with an impressive girth, Hell when he stood with his arms by his side the newly grown blades slotted in perfectly with his shoulders. Examining the rest of his body, the white coat had made his feet turn more spiked and demonic but not to some extreme point and his back had grown sharper and more spike like but he was without a tail or any wings… which he was actual fortunate about.

Huffing, Natsu let out a shallow curse.

" **Nice job Zeref; model me after the thing that killed me… Thanks brother."**

As he was walking out, his eyes caught sight of his clothes yet from an early analysis, only his shorts would seem to fit. Snagging them as he went out, he manoeuvred them past his newly clawed feet before securing it onto his waist with a silly smirk on his face. Shaking his head, his eyes seemed to glow that little bit brighter as he let out another chuckle.

" **Now let's see what I can do, might be a bit rusty though."**

Clicking his clawed fingers, he watched in glee as his entire form was surrounded by wisps and snakes of crimson fire. However, there was something new that arose when he used his flame; symbols, lines, tribal looking markings all began to emerge all over his body, burning themselves deeply into his skin like an etching. They ranged from swirls and dragged on whirls like Acnologia had all over his body to lines and sharp juts out of long shapes like Jellal's eye tattoo, except these marking was all a deep red and covered his entire body going from his head, to under his eye to his chin to his neck and pecs to his arm and blades to his legs. They looked strange, intriguing… and intimidating.

Feeling that shoot and boost of power that had escaped the room, Natsu looked round to see the walls almost ready to collapse and fall and the floor cracked to splinters. Chuckling, Natsu made his way to the exit and began searching for his targets through a veil of scarlet with his nose helping his find his way around the underground portion of the Tartaros Guild Hall.

While he made his venture, he began to think about the information that his brain had uncovered from that tank. Being in there, being surrounded by the liquid seemed like second nature to him, it being the place where he slept and rested during his time with Zeref so when he got in there, instead of the burning sensation that people would usually feel he just felt this overlaying sense of nostalgia and comfort. He had even managed to open his eyes once but when he did, he just kept getting flashes back to his first encounter with Zeref and the present time, interchanging and swapping back and forth constantly so he just shut his eyes.

From what he uncovered, he was the very first Etherious, created by his brother after he was cursed for playing with life and death by the God Ankhseram and while he supressed his Demonic presence and powers naturally, it didn't mean that END was a separate entity or another person inside of him. No, in fact END was just the manifestation and embodiment of his more negative and darker emotions that he always felt and the overdrive that he felt with these emotions once they were put in place over his more forward and positive emotions. So basically, END was still Natsu; he still thought he same, FOUGHT the same, talked the same, felt the same but just with a bit of darker outlook on life… and Demon powers.

His current form was only one representation of END and this was in the form of an Etherious form. This bleach white representation of himself WAS his Etherious form. When a Demon, even those who looked significantly more human than others such as Sayla compared to Ezel go into their Etherious forms, they lose more of their human-like qualities in place of more Demonic ones. In Natsu's case, this meant getting hardened skin with swirly markings and an overall Dragonish appearance. Pretty cool along with them Demonic abilities.

Speaking of Demon powers…

When Zeref was teaching Natsu about his abilities as a Demon, he revealed that he created Natsu to be the most powerful of any Demon that he would ever create so whenever he came up with the thoughts and ideas for another Demon, he would always employ and put the idea for that Demons Curse into Natsu first to both test it and to make sure that Natsu was the most powerful Etherious. However, when these Curses became part of Natsu they did not become exactly like the ones that the other Demons would later receive; these Curses would change and shift to fit Natsu and his preference… and they all changed to involve fire in some way. And he even got his own unique Curse to go along with his new Etherious form.

Another thing that made Natsu powerful was what just happened in the tank room; he was an Etherious with Curse power AND magic power. Normally, a Demon could only really use Curse power but due to a high case of favouritism, Natsu got to use both only strengthening his relation to fire.

Deciding to test out one of his Natsu-ified Curses as he was walking, the Pinkette threw his hand to the floor while muttering a Curse; more specifically the Curse that was made and put into use by Mard Geer Tartaros, AKA the Thorn Curse.

" **END's Curse Volume 1, Chains."**

Suddenly, from around his right arm a black chain laced with fire and burnt by Hell began to materialise, wrapping itself from his palm to the end of his forearm in a tight display. Smiling at the newly materialised weapon, Natsu gripped onto the end tight before flinging it down to the ground. The chain began to uncoil itself and become more like an actual chain before it stroked the ground with a harsh lash of heat and fire, resulting in a burst of flames to shoot out and burn all around the ground, leading up to the walls and reaching the ceiling before continuing in a spiral pattern from several meters before stopping only leaving the remains of the torched corridor behind.

Chuckling at the display, the Slayer flicked his wrist and watched as the chain wrapped itself securely around his arm once more, the black material seemingly staining the brim of his flawless skin that ended before the claws in soot.

" **Oh boy have I missed this… for the 5 minutes that I have actually remembered that I had it."**

* * *

Inside the Core of Hell, the rest of the Etherious were helping their comrades out of their status chambers.

For the time that Natsu had also been unconscious, Lamy had been working hard to make the rest of the Demon Gates functional and able-bodied for the foreseeable future. And to her credit, she had succeeded.

"I always hate the feeling of being in there." Following the sound of water draining along with the sliding of a shutter door, Jackal's voice broke out. The Demon had changed very little despite the need to go into the tank, healing from the numerous wounds that he had received from the mixed Slayer. However, he was wearing new clothes given to him by Lamy per his own request. Now, he had forgone wearing his tank-top, instead deciding to go bare-chested alongside a pair of long white gloves that reach up to the middle of his bicep that are each secured by two light bands and the gloves themselves holding the design of various black diamonds across the whole glove. His bottom half remained almost exactly intact, with the same waist decoration and the same styled pants but now they were rolled up higher to show off his calves. Apart from these, his bandanna had disappeared in the place of a long black scarf.

"Aw, but it's for your own good! When you went in you looked all horrible and beat up but now you look so good~." This time, the voice originated from Lamy, who was fawning over Jackals body like she had done every time she saw the male Etherious. Her shameless attempt at 'flirting' earned her a scoff from the Demon not that that stopped the Bunny-girl though.

"Whatever."

"Hehe, you should stop complaining Jackal, it won't do you any good." Ezel and Torafuzar stood off to the side, gazing at the two with a smile while Sayla supported Kyoka and Silver stood further back with Keyes and Franmalth. Aside from a colour change from the red parts of his outfit along with his tattoo's becoming blue, Ezel hadn't gone through that much of a transformation which is also the case with Torafuzar, the Lizardman staying relatively the same. Kyoka also didn't go through that much of a change, with only the strange protrusions on her head vanishing in place of a shorter hair-style that was very reminiscent to her original and now her claws were more human-like. Meanwhile, Keyes and Franmalth didn't go through any changes at all. However, there was someone who did go through a big change.

Tempester was currently resting while Mard Geer talked to him. The Etherious now held the form of a human thanks to Lamy, a big change from his once more beastly form. This new form of Tempester boasted dark skin with long, neck-length olive hair. His whole body type had changed, becoming muscular and lean alongside his new attire which consisted of a black sleeveless, collared shirt with white flame highlights and a short tie, while his lower half was covered by black pants and smart black shoes. Along the back of his hands, small but sharp scales seemed to develop there as some sort of weapon while he kept his biceps bound by tight straps with small bits of velvet trailing behind them.

"Do you understand what Mard Geer has told you?" The black haired Guild Master asked his Guild-Mate, an air of concern to his tone. Every time that Tempester regenerated, he had a severe case of memory loss so the Master was currently running the newly humanoid Demon through their plans once more.

"I-I think so Master, thank you." Standing up shakenly, he followed Mard Geer over to the rest of the Demon Gates. As soon as he entered the conversation, Lamy's eyes lit up.

"Oh, oh! See what I did, you see?!" The shameless little Etherious leapt off of Jackal's arm to praise her own creation.

"Yeah… um why did you make him human-looking this time?" Silver asked, genuinely curious as to why this girl would make such a decision. She was silent for a short while.

"'Cause I thought that he would look hot."

"God dammit Lamy."

"Oi, where's that Scaly guy we fought? He run away or something?" Jackal asked, none of the Demons that had just awoken getting the message about them capturing the boy. Smirking a triumphant smile, Mard Geer presented his form to everyone in a confident manner.

"I, Mard Geer, had ca- "

A sudden blast of explosive, raw power shot through the room and took everyone off of their feet. Tumbling backwards as heat began to absorb and eat at the room, all 10 people present looked on, wide eyed as they saw a figure begin to emerge through the smoke.

" **What are you talking about, Kitty-Kat? I'm right here."**

Here such a deep and powerful voice rip through the air had everyone frozen, a dust of pink coating the female Demons cheeks as the figure got closer, his appearance becoming more Demonic and estranged with the closing proximity.

"Wha- Wait, Scales?" Confusion wracked his body at first, but soon Jackal understood as he looked onto the newly donned Etherious form of Natsu Dragneel. Emerging through the smoke and allowing everyone to see his new form, Demons jaws dropped.

He looked so powerful, so deadly, so dangerous… so irresistible. Well, to Sayla at least. She was intrigued by him before, drawn to his human body but now it was revealed that he had turned into a Demon, he was simply divine. Licking her lips as she gazed at his tone figure mixed in with the hard white shell and distinct markings that stained his skin, his morphed face that looked equally Demonic and Dragonish at the same time and his sharp arm protrusions that reminded her of her own legs in her Etherious form. Just… divine.

Meanwhile, Lamy was quietly muttering to herself. Even if her solution was at its strongest, transforming a human into a Demon took time so to be able to do it in this short a time frame was… impossible.

"How…" Nobody saw the smirk that rested atop of Silver's mug.

Smirking at their reaction, Natsu watched eagerly as Mard Geer stood up, dusted himself off before he began walking towards the stationary Etherious.

"Why welcome to our group, of great Slayer Natsu. You will be a great help in Mard Geers revival of END."

Suddenly, Natsu's form seemed to stop and everyone watched him with curious eyes. Then, out of nowhere, he burst into a loud fit of laughter.

"W-What are you doing?! How dare you mock Master Mard Geer, disgraceful Demon!" Said Guild Master rose his hand at the laughing Demon and began uttering his Curse but unfortunately, someone was quicker.

" **END's Curse Volume 1, Chains."**

A huge burst of heat and fire shot out from the wall directly behind Mard Geer as well as from the floor as about 4 sets of dark, black chains that were stained in soot and set alight in a warm orange glow. And they lashed out and target the Master. In an instant, they were around his prone form, draping his arms tightly in two sets, his legs in another single set that sent him to his knees and the final set were tied tightly around his neck in a vice like grip. The whole Guild was stunned at the display, and Lamy was just able to get out her thoughts.

"B-But he shouldn't have a Curse… H-He shouldn't and w-why is it so much like- "

" **Like the Thorn Curse?"**

Surprising everyone once again, Natsu could only darkly chuckle as the searing chains got tighter and the one of his arm let out a bright orange glow like brimstone.

" **How do I know that? Well, I am the prototype for all your Curses… I am your predecessor and your successor all in one… I am the beginning of the Etherious…"**

He paused, before turning to the gates with such fire and intensity in his empty eyes that it could cause the earth to boil over and die. So much rage, so much anger… so much enjoyment. And with a loud laugh and a harsh tone, Natsu looked them all dead in the eye and screamed.

" **AND THEIR END!"**

* * *

 **HEHEHEHEHH! I saw a few of you berate me for a cliff-hanger ending so... HERE'S ANOTHER CLIFF HANGER ENDING! Anyway I just want to say thank you for reading and that, yes, I still feel like shit. Next chapter, something interesting happens between Natsu and the Demon Gates... Stay tunned. And *sigh* here's the current harem listings...**

 **Brandish**

 **Cana**

 **Dimaria**

 **Erza**

 **Irene (maybe, thinking about it, feels like shit for putting this)**

 **Lisanna**

 **Mira**

 **Sayla**

 **Ultear**

 **Wendy**

 **So... uh... see ya next time.**

 **P.S If you wanna see a shitty picture of Natsu in his Etherious form just go to DeviantArt and type in Aniimeziing (exactly like that) into the search bar and it should come up, its called 'Drawing.' Don't mind the shitty quality or the actual quality of the art, its a sketch. Yea... um... see ya.**

 **-Jack**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello everybody and welcome back to Slayer's Flame!**

 **EXAMS ARE DONE! YESSSS! WOOHOO! And... the chapter might be pretty shitty cause I had some mates over this weekend so my writing was kind of... distracted. So yes, I'm sorry if this is sort of bad but hey, its here right?**

 **Anyway a few things. Now at the minute, Erza does appear to be Irene's child and all that (excited for tomorrow though) so I will probably be excluding her unless something crazy happens. Now quite a few people have told me to just make her Erza's sister or something but, and if you've read my Pokemon story you've seen this before, I have a problem with going that far in changing shit about characters. See, in my mind, by changing such a big change like that is sort of disrespectful to the original writer and I just can't do that. Yes, I know that I am just some small, little FanFiction writer who changes stuff about the story to fit his own needs and desires but those are the sorts of things that I personally feel weird about changing so for the time being, and I know that a lot of people are going to feel really angry at me and from the bottom of my heart I apologise for this, but Irene is going to be removed. However, I have got say that I am planning on maybe doing something with Zeref and her and have been talking about it with one of you guys (shout out to Lord Rikudou for the big help, seriously thank you) and I do have a plan for her if I decide to go that way. Once again, I really am sorry for doing this but its personal shit that I know that I will get hate for but I can't change that part about myself so once again, I'm sorry.**

 **Now just know that if any of you want to talk to me about this or about anything else (seriously I mean ANYTHING) then please PM me and I will respond as soon as I possibly can and will have a proper conversation with you if you want that so just remember that you can okay. Well, thank you.**

 **And now its Reviews!**

 **First I just want to say thank you for supporting my decision as well as being against it as now I have a better view of my audience so... um... thank you. NOW THEN!**

 **PugTheMagician: Don't worry, she isn't going to be THAT young when she enters (like 17-18 will be the age I think) and I'm trying to set that up in this chapter. Also, he sort of does look like that but without the long hair or the horns but yeah, he sort of does.**

 **TBM10: It's not that she can't, it's that she hasn't been voted for. I'd happily write Chelia as I think that she is a rather under appreciated character but hey, votes matter and stuff. Huh, ironic I say that after what I did with Irene... Sorry again.**

 **DeathByRespawn: I understand that but I don't know if I can continue to give you false hope for a twist that may never come so I will say that I have to put this up and bring it up now and not risk putting that idea of false hope in the future.**

 **Maxe03: Maybe... Maybe later... Maybe never.**

 **xXCoopyXx: Yes Coopy, yes I am an idiot. And I am sorry that I am idiotic. However I have to say that for me, I don't particularly like AU, really twisting cannon stuff that throws relationships and family ties out of the window but to me, Gender-bending is just sort of changing one character or a few characters and I can live with that. I dunno, I'm a weird ass guy, trust me.**

 **Guest: Thanks for telling me that, I didn't actually know most of that (it's about Mavis and the Curse) but it was just easier to say that she was cursed like Zeref and stuff.**

 **Guest: Heart Fire will be updated in January. I have just been sorting stuff out and getting exams out of the way while setting up a schedule. So soon, soooooooon.**

 **Now I just have to ask, what do you want me to do with Irene's replacement? Another vote or something else? I dunno but let me know. Now onto Chapter 13!**

* * *

The heavy doors swung open with a creak that drew attention to those who were wandering through.

Fairy Tail all looked up to see the duo of Alzack and Bisca wander through the doors with a smile on both of their faces as they walked up to the bar. Over the last 2 years, the encounter with Acnologia and the departure of Natsu had changed people's hearts and minds, the thought of potential death and abandonment more present than ever.

For example, the green and black haired pair that had just wandered through had pushed past all their previous locks and thoughts of rejection and had gotten together just a few months' after Natsu left on his journey. After years and years, they had gotten together and Fairy Tail couldn't have been happier for them but to see 2 people, both who had feelings for each other for so long, bought back some feelings that some members that had buried for a few months. Also, a recent development was that Alazack had proposed to Bisca a few weeks ago and a similar feeling of rush and happiness mixed and smashed together with nostalgia and sadness.

A few other things had gone done during those strange 2 years. Mirajane, alongside her sister and brother, had started to get into a few jobs and use her magic to a more advanced level. So far she was gaining back some of her older forms and the abilities that came back with it while also gaining money with Lisanna, who had gained a few more transformations with the years, and Elfman, who had also got some new full form transformations. However, she wasn't completely invested into the old mages life once more and was still very happy to serve behind the bar with Kinana. In fact, that's where she was right now.

Stumbling over, hand-in-hand, the engaged couple sauntered up to 2 seats before sitting down and catching the white haired mages attention.

"Hey Mira." Bisca called out, resting her head in her hands as the bair-maiden swirled around to meet the green haired woman.

"Bisca, Alzack, welcome back. I take it that the job went well?" Smiling at the pair, the oldest Straus sibling put the mug was cleaning down, and started to walk towards the two. Over the 2 years, no-one in the Guild had really changed a whole lot, apart from a few people, but some peoples clothing choices had changed quite a bit. For example, the maroon dress that Mira was commonly associated with was now often replaced by a similar dress that was coated in a splash of deep purple rather than maroon. Much like the previous dress, this one still hugged her curves and accentuated her full figure but now this dress only came up to the middle of her shins before ending at the front, continuing in a downward line as it ended at the back slightly lower. Overall, it was just a small crack in the new Mirajane that was leaking out elements of the older girl that she once was. Finally making her way over, the three began to engage in casual conversation that Mira always had whenever anyone in the Guild got back from a job.

However, as they were talking. They couldn't help but observe the longing and almost envious look in the cerulean eyes of the woman as she looked upon the pair. It always seemed to be there, just behind the layers of beauty and happiness that she emitted was that look of longing for something… something that no-one could really figure out up and until this point. Well… almost anyone.

"Lisanna, when are you thinking of going on another job? I'm so booored here and I know that Carla is going to love it when I show her my skills!" On the opposite side of the bar, another white haired Straus sibling sat but this time she was accompanied by a small blue cat. Giggling as Happy made a heroic pose on the table-top, Lisanna looked at her pseudo son and could only think how he took after the other one in their little family. From the last year onwards, Happy had begun to act more confident and outgoing just like… just like Natsu. Sighing as she looked down at him, she didn't hear a similar pair of footsteps approaching her from behind.

"Oh behave Tom-Cat, nothing you could do could impress me at this point."

"EHH!" Completely ignoring his outburst, the short haired girl twisted her head to lock eyes with a young looking blunette, Ms. Wendy Marvel and her Exceed Carla.

"Hello Lisanna, hello Happy, how are you two doing today?" In 2 and a half years, Wendy had begun her transformation from a shy, little 12-year-old to a more confident yet still quite timid 15-year-old. She had grown a few inches in height, reaching up to just under Lisanna's height. She had also taken the decision to cut her hair shorter, the Dragon Slayer deciding to go more offensive in recent years to go along with her supportive magic, with it coming around her chin in a bob-cut of blue tresses. However, her face still retained a large amount of its child-like cuteness that had made her famous and her outfit was just like something she would wear when she was 12 with a little twist; now she was decked out in a long sleeved pink hoodie with a pair of purple shorts and some white trainers with long socks. Overall, it just looked like an older, more mature Wendy.

"Wendy, Carla, hey! We're fine thanks, how are you?" Much like most of the older members of the Guild, Lisanna hadn't changed much, only letting her hair grown a little bit longer in the front with longer bangs and with her outfit remaining largely the same; a long sleeved black, woolly jumper and white short shorts. During this time, Carla and Happy (the 2 being exactly the same in appearance) had begun to hang out more and due to this Wendy and Lisanna had begun to hang out more and more and eventually they had begun to do jobs together.

"C-Carla! Hey… You want a fish?" Happy tried to save himself… It didn't work.

The two girls both were very similar yet very different, with the Straus girl being outgoing and confident while Wendy started off as very timid and shy and by spending time together the two had made themselves more open and more like the other. However, much like Mirajane, the two shared a longing look with Lisanna being perhaps the easiest to see out of anybody, and it was clearly displayed whenever anything relating to the subject came up. Lately, Wendy had begun to feel it more often, a result of her getting closer and closer to the age of maturity for Dragon Slayers.

Largely, the Guild was pretty similar; Wakaba and Macao were still drinking buddies who argued and hit on anyone that their eyes could land on, Gray had now gone to Gajeel as his main target rather than Natsu and much like the previously mentioned rivalry, the two fought quite often, Erza was disciplining everyone who even dared to commit a wrong deed and so on and so forth. Although, after the disaster that was Tenrou and the revelation that Cana was Gildart's daughter, the man had started to spend more and more time at the Guild to spend more time with her so that was a positive.

As Lisanna and Wendy were talking, another figure began to make their way up to the duo before placing a large hand on Wendy's shoulder. Feeling the pressure, the teen turned around on her heels to see the large figure of one Gajeel Redfox, his form covered in bruises and welts from his fight with a certain Ice Mage.

"Oi we gonna go do that training then?" His gruff voice and tough exterior hadn't changed at all over the 2 years. His new outfit consisted of a yellow head-band that fitted over his forehead, a long black trench coat that sat over a green over shirt and beige cargo pants and his classic black boots with his hair remaining relatively the same.

"Today? Well… okay then I guess." Standing up and saying her farewells to Lisanna and the 2 Exceeds, the Sky and Iron Dragon Slayers left the Guild in search of a good training area. About a year ago, the Marvel girl had asked Redfox to take her under his wing in offensive fighting. Originally she was going to ask Natsu due to him being more straight forward and offensive then Gajeel, who often used armour and stage hazards to clear through his foes, but after his disappearance and after going over it in her head Wendy realised that Gajeel was a much better fit for her kind of fighting style with his techniques, if not his actual style; quick, nimble and able to knock opponents off their feet. So, for that year the two of them had been training and fighting together to get her offensive capabilities to rise while Gajeel also got the chance to learn more supportive techniques and got to know his fellow Dragon Slayer more.

However, he had never really asked why she had been doing this.

Finding a large area of open space in the forest with the green leaves dancing around them, Gajeel paced a few steps forward in front of Wendy.

"Before we begin… Why are you doing this, Shorty?"

"W-What do you mean?" Despite growing up a bit, the girl till managed to get shy and timid when times of uncertainty came up. Crossing his arms over his chest, Gajeel eyed her suspiciously.

"You know what I mean, why did you come to me for training? What reason did you have for that?"

Silence filled the world for a few seconds.

"I don't want to be the one at the side-lines anymore." Putting more attention onto the girl, Gajeel urged her to continue. "Back on Tenrou, all I could do was stand there and watch as you all rushed headlong into the both Grimoire Hearts and Acnologia and all the while I could only think… why am I so useless."

Gajeel felt like he should say something but the girl just continued.

"Don't get me wrong, I am an expert in healing and support magic so I am not going to try and completely change my fighting style but after seeing what those things could do… what they made Natsu do, I want to get strong enough with you all to be able to at least be competent enough to fight good. I just… don't want to be on the side-lines anymore."

"Gihihi, so it's Salamander, huh?" Wendy's head shot up, about to protest but Gajeel just waved her off. "Don't worry about it; Hell, even I sort of want to training just to see if I can match him when he gets back. Gihihihi, when he gets back he's gonna be in a world of hurt if he ain't trained enough. Anyway, good job Short-Stuff."

"Thanks Gajeel… Thank you."

"No problem… Now- "

" **GO!"**

* * *

Fear.

It was a vicious beast that could leave even the strongest warriors crippled and helpless before their opponent. To be fearless is a rare and often misinterpreted thing; to not be scared of something is not because you feel no fear, but it is because you have put that fear behind other walls and layers of horror until it is far enough away from the forefront of your mind that you can continue doing what you intended where as to be fearless is to feel nothing, to become and emotionless husk that does not react to the notion of fear that drives and fuels so many people in this world. Up to this point, the Demons of Tartaros believed themselves to be these machines of flesh, frames of Hell that painted the pictures of fear into the minds of men, women and children all across the world while they themselves remained stoic and fearless in the face of danger… Up to now that is.

Now they were face to face with a monster that no-one could have prepared for, a beast that far exceeded themselves in his cruelness and malice from the stories they'd heard, a creature that destroyed and killed to saturate his own hunger for bloodlust; they were faced with the end.

Before them he stood, swaying slightly with a wide smile on his lipless, toothless maw as smoke obscured his vision and the pale blue lights of the Core rained down on his impenetrable form which housed snakes of crimson that swayed and shoot up his skin. Quiet mutterings and chuckling emerged from his mouth as his hands tightened around his molten chain with clank that resulted in a gasp to shoot out from their Guild Master, his own form still held tightly against the wall by a thick wall of iron chains. He had overpowered their Master with nothing but a flick of his wrist so… what would he do to them, what COULD he do to them without even moving.

Mard Geer himself was gasping and heaving as the serpents of silver and soot secured and segmented his body into sections to be put to the fire and left to burn. His arms had been baking and burning from the intense heat of the chains themselves, and the Guild Master hadn't dared to think of what was to come if the Slayer lit these weapons ablaze while his neck felt as if it was in a constant loop of strangulation and breathing with only a very slim margin of time in-between the two. All the while, one thought was going through his mind; how could the Mard Geer Tartaros be defeated so easily?

" **Hehe, looks like you're having a bit of a hard time there, am I right?"**

Aside from his intimidating figure, this monster also held a voice that shook the members to their very cores, a booming vocal display that cracked and chipped at their defences with sick satisfaction and glee in his tone. It all just sounded so intimidating, so devious, so other-worldly.

" **Here let me help you get a bit more… secured."**

Throwing his palm up, the pink haired Etherious tightened his grip even further on the chain. Suddenly, an invisible explosion of pure, raw and unrestrained power encompassed the whole room as Mard Geer was pulled back, with a harsh bout of whiplash, against the wall from his demeaning kneeling position on the floor. The impact left many cracks and fractures in the wall that the Demons were surprised that the wall was even still standing… Until they saw the thin threads of molten fire weaving in and out of the broken fragments of earth. This thing was something else.

In an instant, the Slayer was at the wall, leaning nonchalantly against the cracked debris as the Master struggled to breath as his lungs collapsed and his ribs splinted inwards. Behind his form, a thick trail of burnt earth was left behind from his pure and intense heat that his body was emitting. Leaning against it, the Etherious spoke up once more.

" **So then, this is a nice place and all, right? But I have a very simple question… why'd you make it?"**

The man's question caught them all off guard. Why would he care about the reason why they built this place? Through a tough struggle with his voice, Mard Geer eventually managed to choke out.

"Why sh-should we h-have to t-tell you a-anything?" A sinister chuckle followed.

" **Why? Oh why, one of the most important questions in the world. The answer to that question- "**

Another fierce blast of power shot out and around the room, this time with such intensity that it knocked quite a few of the Etherious down and onto the floor. After taking a few seconds to compose themselves, the Demons stood up and to their shock, they witnessed the estranged form of the beast sitting atop one of the regeneration chambers, with his arm coated in flames.

" **Is that I can kill you- "**

In about a second, Natsu leapt forward and with one clean swing he cut through the thick cables and wires that transported the Demonic particles to the chambers, resulting in the strange blue liquid to come spurting out of the tubes and onto the floor in a miscoloured, bloody puddle of azure. From all around the room, varied levels of shock were being emitted and for good reason; it wasn't easy to get a hold of Demonic particles without going to their leader (which is where Mard Geer apparently got his supply from) so to even lose a bit of it was disastrous and this guy had just lost a whole tank of it as if it was nothing! As they revelled in this fact, steam and smoke began to billow from the floor as the pink haired man seemingly teleported back to the restrained Mard Geer.

" **And you won't be able to go back into your creepy health pods."**

A deafening silence filled the air as the beast tightened his grip even further onto Mard Geer. And then, with a disturbed smile and un-blinking eyes he spoke once more.

" **So once again I will ask… what are Demons of Zeref doing away from him and why did you decide to make a Guild? A Guild involved in the Balam Alliance, I may add."**

Before, when the Slayer had first bought up the word Etherious, they had just thought that perhaps he was power filled and drugged up enough that the combination had him spouting non-sense that he had heard from conversations that the Demons he had but the knowledge and information that he had on them, that they were Zeref's creations, proved that he knew what they were… what he himself was. Grunting in agony at the tightening coils of metal around his neck, Geer finally gave up.

"T-Tartaros is a sanctuary b-built for us by Mard G-Geer under the will of our Master E.N.D and we have vowed our lives to br-bringing about the world that Z-Zeref wishes. Tartaros is the home of the most powerful Demons of Zeref, under the decree of our true Master E.N.D to purge humanity and all other surrounding races until only we remain! That is what Tartaros stands for and some new born Etherious is not going to push us around, do you understand me?!"

As he was talking, the man seemed to loosen his grip and by doing so the chains around Mard Geer grew weaker and let him speak out. After a while though, the pink haired Slayer just laughed.

" **That's nice and all… but I didn't ask you to do shit."**

Nothingness… Void of emotion.

"W-What did you say?" Twisting his head, the Demon locked eyes with another of his kind. This time it was a young girl with bunny ears and a fearful look on her face. Before his majestic and almost etheric presence, Lamy was nothing but she had to figure out what he was.

" **Hm? Oh yes I guess you don't know yet, huh? Well then, let me introduce myself…"**

Smirking, this monster threw his arm backwards before uncoiling the whip and swinging it out before him. The result was a sickening roar from Mard Geer as the chains lit aflame in a burning inferno and a python's constriction of steel tightened around his hold body before another set shot out from the opposite wall and ripped him clean off of the destroyed and decimated remains of the previous structure and onto the floor with a loud crunch. Waltzing over, the man didn't even bother to acknowledge Geer as he simple planted his clawed foot onto his chest with an even louder crack coming soon after.

" **My name is Etherious Natsu Dragnell, or to you I am better known as E.N.D. Pleasure to make your acquaintance… Demons of Tartaros."**

Then it all started to make sense to them; the information about the Guild itself, about their race, about Zeref, about the location of their Guild Hall, of his power and the way that he could use Curses and be an Etherious in such a short time after being put in the Demonic Particles. At the very back, even Silver who knew the information of the mans race was suprised and shocked to know that this person was supposed to be the lord of all the Demons and the true Guild Master of Tartaros. Another prolonged period of what seemed like eternal silence emerged before all 10 figures that were standing before the pink haired Slayer dropped to their knees in a kneeling position as a mist of black energy swarmed the area and seemed to infect and encompass the Demons while all Natsu could do was stare in confusion.

" **Uh… what?"**

"Welcome home, Master E.N.D. Please use us to your will..."

* * *

 **And done. Yes, I know that some of you may be like 'Well they believed him WAAAYYY too easily' but that will be explained next chapter. Do not worry! Anyway, next chapter, E.N.D gets to talking with Tartaros and he makes a decision that will lead to something very big... So look forward to that. Also, its only 13 days till Christmas so maybe something will happen regarding a present to all of you... Maybe. Now goodbye!**

 **-Jack**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey everybody and welcome back to Slayer's Flame!**

 **Now before anything begins, its pretty much 100% confirmed that Irene is Erza's mom (she was in her womb and Irene has stated that she was there before she begun her Draginification) so thats means no Irene in the harem. Once again, I apologise from the bottom of my heart but it's just something personal that i don't think that I can write very well based on my own personal feelings and that if I did, then the story would be far worse for you guys. Once again, I had a few of you saying 'It's FanFiction, just change it' but I can't and I thank those of you who have supported me in this decision, truly I can't thank you enough, but I do have to say that one guy said he was dropping the story... You dropping a story that you obviously had some interest if you stuck around just because 1 character who has been in the story for a total of about 5 lines and has not spoken yet isn't shagging the main character? Okay then, you live your life... Just a lil' bit weird is all.**

 **But now onto something else; who should replace her. To be honest, I have no idea who could replace her so... Um... Suggest people? I dunno, just give me ideas or something and i'll see how you all respond to them to see who should replace her.**

 **Something else before the reviews. Because it is now exactly only 1 week until Christmas, I have decided to give you all a little FanFiction present, as per say. So, everyday in the week leading up to Christmas, I will be posting one chapter of each of my stories (this one, Life is Only Black and White, Heart Fire and Bonds With the Devil) every day so that you all get something. This means that at the end of the week, each story should have 2 more chapters added to it in 1 week rather then the regular one so... yay! Now here's the schedule on how that will work.**

 **Monday the 19th: Heart Fire Chapter 9**

 **Tuesday the 20th: Bonds With the Devil Chapter 13**

 **Wednesday the 21st: The All Devouring Slayer's Flame Chapter 15**

 **Thursday the 22nd: Life Is Only Black and White, You Have to Add Colour Chapter 22**

 **Friday the 23rd: Heart Fire Chapter 10 + Bonds With the Devil Chapter 14**

 **Saturday the 24th:** **Life Is Only Black and White, You Have to Add Colour Chapter 23**

 **Sunday the 25th: The All Devouring Slayer's Flame Chapter 16.**

 **So, um... I hope you enjoy this week of chapters cause I know that I am going to be exhausted after it all.**

 **And now onto reviews!**

 **Chimera629: Nah he didn't get weaker, its just that they had a fight is all (when Natsu and Gray had fights, both usually got injuries not matter who was winning). As for how they didn't figure it out... they thought that he was all drugged up on Demonic Particles. Completely reasonable.**

 **ADragonoid75: Yes... Yes he will.**

 **Narticc: Hm, those are fighting words there (personally, I'm a Lisanna sort of guy but hey, I know I'm a minority) and yes I know that the next chapter is called that but... I just can't shake that feeling and that idea cause Erza was in Irene's womb before the Dragonification process started, so she did get pregnent with Erza before all of the shit that happened. Sign, guess we'll just have to see next chapter.**

 **Awareness Bringer: I know that other Fics have done this, the whole mother-daughter dating the same guy thing. For example, I think very highly of NatsuHaremFans Little Dragon from the Future which features this very thing and the way the they write that story makes it sort of work so if you want that, then that story has it in spades, but I know that I can't write something like that, its just personal reasons. As for him killing members off... He might or might not be doing that.**

 **Guest: He's made to kill and he's a Demon, so why not have him kill. Also, he's killed before or at least has been involved in the deaths of villains so I don't see the big deal in him being a killer, he won't seek out death but he isn't completely against it. What is so bad about him killing?**

 **Naruto: I honestly think people would hate me more if I did that if I took out Irene. Also... even doing that makes me feel weird. And have a Happy Christmas to you too.**

 **Now onto chapter 14!**

* * *

Standing among the fire and the ruins of the Core, Natsu couldn't help but be open mouthed at the words that just fell out of the Demons mouth.

Master? Since when the fuck had he been anybody's Master?! Looking down at his clawed hands, the red rivers of crimson staining and crawling up and down his flesh, he took note that it was probably something to do with the Demon part of these Tartaros Demons; that Zeref had hard coded some sort of 'Bow Down to E.N.D' feature into their brains… No, but then that would mean that they should know of Zeref's plans for the Etherious, the plan that would lead to his demise if it plays out the way that his brothers hope it does.

Looking among the crowd of bowed faces and the one that was beaten and bloodied beneath his scaled foot, he took note that they all seemed to… idolise Zeref. Previously, the weird Juvia-esk 1st Person Talk-y guy had mentioned that they were here to play out Zeref's plans and his ambitions, to make the world rot with evil and become barren of any good life. However, up to this point Zeref had wanted only death, at least in his memories of his time with his brother before… Before… Growling slightly as he now recalled that he had a new gap in his memory, he set his sights back on the huddled Etherious.

" **Uh... you can stop kneeling now."**

As quick as bullets, the whole room rose up with some semblance of fear clearly present in their eyes, at least most of them held fear. The woman at the front, the one garbed in a kimono, was inspecting him with a thin veil of intrigue and a heavy sheet of lust present in her eyes while Jackal was just looking at him in confusion more than anything and Kyoka appeared as stiff as a soldier at some sort of roll call. Meanwhile, the rest hesitantly awaited his next command with an uneasy look in their faces. Glancing down at the barely breathing Mard Geer, he could only shake his head at what kind of weird ideals and thoughts this guy had been implanting in their heads.

Stepping off the some-what breathing 'corpse' to give him some breathing room before almost immediately steeping back onto him after his wheezing become far too annoying, Natsu decided to address some concerns that he had about the Tartaros Guild.

" **Okay then… Can anybody tell me why you are calling me Master?"**

Silence filled the room as soon as the words fell out of Natsu's maw.

"W-What do you mean 'why'? Y-You're E.N.D, the most powerful Demon every created; even if you weren't our Guild Master we would have to call you as such." This time, Kyoka managed to speak up, locking eyes with the pink haired Etherious as she tried to calmly tell him about his superiority compared to such lowly beings as she and the rest of the Etherious were.

" **Okay I guess that is ok- Wait did you say that I am your Guild Master?"**

Once again, in the noiseless room a pin-drop would sound like a nuclear explosion in the wake of Natsu's question.

"W-What? Do you really have no memory of starting Tartaros? Your principals built this Guild and we have been eagerly awaiting your return." Taking a few steps forward, the other girl, the one with porcelain skin and long purple tresses that made Natsu feel some conflicting feelings, decided to speak up for her little crew in a way that would appoint and update their 'Master'. Underneath his foot, the Slayer felt Mard Geer completely lock up. Looking down, the pinkette soon began to join up some of the dots.

" **Alright, I'll answer those questions if you answer one of mine, okay?"** They all nodded. **"Good. Now then, no I have no memory of every starting this Guild or ever setting any principals of 'Kill everyone and everything that ever existed in the hope that it would appease my brother.' Also secondly, I have never been to this place before in my whole life; Hell, the only reason that I found you is that someone else has been spying on you."**

Watching with some sort of joy as Tartaros physically recoiled at the new information, Natsu finally took his foot of Mard Geer fully, allowing the Demon to breathe fully for the first time in a few minutes. As he huffed and gulped down any form of oxygen that came anywhere near his facility, Natsu continued his own questioning.

" **Okie-dokie, now it my turn to ask the questions, alright? So for starters, have you always known about my existence or has it been information that was given to you after you came into being?"**

Looking on with a quizzical look present in his face, the pinkette witnessed the Demons turning to each other with estranged and suspicious looks in their eyes. And then it was Jackal's time to shine.

"Oi, how do we even know that your E.N.D? Sure you can do all these fancy Curse's and stuff but how do we know that it ain't just some new trick that Zeref has implanted into all his new Etherious, huh" Now, suspicion and deceit began to spread like wildfire throughout the crowd as they began to question the Demon's legitimacy.

"Yea, it would explain why you know absolutely nothing about the Guild." Ezel also spoke up, stepping forward a few paces to get close to the supposed 'E.N.D'.

"So go on then, Oh Great and Powerful E.N.D, how do we know that you are the real thing?" Now it was Torafuzar who tried to back up Jackal's point with a smirk as the three began to get into a stance for battle. Around them, the other 6 Etherious either backed off to the corners of the room or they tried to defend E.N.D.

"Have you all gone insane!? Look at what he did to Mard Geer and even then you still betray his guidance? How dare yo- "Sayla began to spout off, black mist and Demonic energy spreading through her whole being like a river before she felt a warm and calming presence on her shoulder. Turning her head, her eyes came into view of a stainless white chest, red snakes and serpents of crimson crawling all over it. Looking up, her own pair of purple eyes caught those of the pupiless red pools of one Natsu Dragneel, his large clawed hand gentle positioned on her shoulder.

" **Thank you for believing me, but I wouldn't want you to get injured because of these fools. So if you please… Actually I do not believe that I aught your name?"** His gaze, while seemingly unreadable and hard to distinguish from the rest of his red window, seemed to bore and stare into Sayla's very being as she felt her body become hot and heavy as she stared at the most powerful Demon in existence. Being so close to him, feeling his power, his intensity, his heat, his passion, his very existence so close to her filled her with desire and need the longer she remained around his form. Half lulling her eyes, she titled her head as he looked at the object of her affection with a lustful gaze.

"Sayla, Master. My name is Sayla." With a sultry smirk, she moved to get ever closer to the Demon Lord, completely ignoring the stares and open mouthed gasps she received off her team-mates as she skulked towards Natsu. Said pinkette saw these advances and somewhat recognised them, but did not make any move to try and repel them. Instead he welcomed them, allowing the woman to claw and grip at his chest, trace the red lines that marked his body, grind up against his figure as he felt something new dwell up inside of him.

Desire.

Want.

Need.

Letting these new emotions take over, Natsu leant forward to grip the Demon's golden horns in his hands in a hard grip that left the seductive girl shocked and caused a long, hard moan to emerge from her mouth. Natsu chuckled.

" **So, your horns are extra sensitive are they… Sa~y~la?"** The way he spoke her name, the way her held her horns in a grip that left her body reeling with pleasure, the way he exerted his dominance over her no matter the group of people that he was around made Sayla weak at the knees and made sure that the only response that she could offer were mewls and gasps of pleasure.

"Y-Yes, M-Mast-ter."

" **Good…"** Moving one of his hands from her horns to the long purple mass of hair that Sayla kept prisoner on her head, he calmly stoked and gently shifted his fingers through her rivers of hair that was in such stark contrast to the hard grasp on her horns that had made her buckle in joy that Sayla was visibly stunned. **"Sa~y~la. What a pretty name."**

The more he spoke, the more excited and needy Sayla got. She leant into his hands, wanting to becoming one with the Demon Lord and wanting to finally relieve herself of this burning that was start to spew up at her very core. It was hot, it was heavy… it was exactly how Sayla liked it. Pushing herself further into him, Natsu just smirked as he let go of her, resulting in a mess of whimpering and whining from the beautiful Etherious. Noticing how she was still locked into his body, Natsu leant down towards her ears, blowing on them lightly with his lipless jaws before he whispered.

" **Thank you for believing in me… Sa~y~la…"** Finishing off his dance with a light nibble on the Goddess' ear, he released her from his grasp, resulting in a harsh series of pleasurable and disappointed moans to spring forth from the girl. Watching her walk away, a swing in her hips evident, Natsu turned back to three non-believers of the Etherious group and he smirked.

" **So, you need any more proof?"** He chuckled. **"Who am I kinding, all you care about is battle. So then… I'll show you battle."**

Launching himself forward, Natsu seemed to cross the entire distance of the room in less than a second, reaching Jackal before the cat-like Etherious could even properly react. Smirking, Natsu felt his chain light up with fire before he recalled a new Curse.

" **End's Curse Volume 6, Detonation."** Suddenly, a bright volley of sparks and fire emerged from Jackal's right shoulder and before anymore could be said, a massive explosion of flames and chaos erupted free from the Etherious' body. Shooting backwards in a hectic barrage of limbs, Jackal soon implanted the wall with a thud, resulting in numerous cracks and edges to appear in the wall which soon collapsed onto the downed Jackal. Standing up, Natsu then addressed the rest of the group. **"That, Jackal, was an improved form of your own Curse. I have more control over my explosions, more power in my explosions, can generate plumes and walls of fire from my explosions that you could only ever dream of generating… Oh, and most importantly… I am more accurate then you."**

Silently summoning his Chain Curse, Natsu began to pull the different fragments off of Jackals body before pulling the man up with them only to showcase the damage dealt to the rest of the Etehrious. His arm was blown clean off, a bloody stump of still lit coals and embers that still flickered all that remained, while the rest of his body was covered in numerous cuts and burns that all spring from that one part of his body. However, the amazing thing was that only his arm was blown off, nothing else. Usually, Jackal's blasts would just eliminate the entire person but Natsu's… Natsu's tortured people with fire and explosions.

Smirking, Natsu twisted on his heels before moving onto Ezel, the multi-limbed Demon still stuck in phase of confusion and daze that he didn't see Natsu coming.

" **End's Curse Volume 5, Blades."** In a bright display of red fire and bright lights, the end of Natsu's fins lit up like super-heated metal before he lashed out at Ezel. First he swung low, cutting deep into the Etherious' lower organs with a clean and deep cut that left no blood behind; only pain. Then, not even pausing to hear the screams of anguish, Natsu leapt at Ezel's left side before he locked his two blades around one of the 2 arms and spun around in the air like some sort of crocodile that ripped its prey apart. It worked. Using Ezel's ribcage as some sort of springboard, the pinkette shot away from his body and with him came the arm with a sickening crunch of bone and viscera. Finishing off his assault, Natsu propelled himself off of the ground before he swung lightly at Ezels face, leaving a gash on the lower part of his jaw that nearly cut the appendage from the upper half. Landing, he simply pushed his hands onto Ezel's chest which made the colossal beast collapse in pain. **"And that was an upgraded form of your Curse, Ezel. I can super-heat my blades to become like a doctor's cools; hot, precise, and painful without any unnecessary blood or gore. Ain't that handy?"**

Bending over backwards, he spotted his final target; Torafuzar. Twisting his body around so that he was just walking over to the Etherious, who was still trying to put up the tough-guy act, Natsu began to twist and contort his arm. Before long, he began to speak as well.

" **End's Curse Volume 4, Napalm."** Suddenly, bright green smoke began to emerge and contort around Natsu's whole right arm like some sort of sentient snake, small part of it seeking off around Natsu's whole body. Using his other arm, Natsu used his Chains to restrain and keep Torafuzar in place with two ropes of steel that emerged from the ceiling. Finishing his trek over to the shivering Etherious, Natsu forcibly opened his mouth before he sent the cloud snake down the Lizardman's open gullet. **"Now this is a new form of your Curse. Instead of poison water, I have this gas that I can control at will. I can move it however I want, and if I ever wanted to cause a massive blaze or a massive explosion, all I would have to do is put one little spark to it and BOOM! Oh yeah, and I can remotely detonate it if it ever gets inside someone so… good luck."**

Smirking, Natsu clicked his fingers before he watched in sick satisfaction as Torafuzars's face began to contort and scream out in agony as his skin became see through and transparent from heat before a blast of heat and energy shot out from his stomach, leaving a perfect hole present in the area. Allowing the Chains to drop his body, he walked back over to the 'loyal' Etherious.

Standing before them, he could see clear hints of fear and intimidation in their eyes and even Mard Geer was looking at him with hints of fear utter dread in his face. Turning his attention back to the Etherious, he pointed at a group of three Demons at the back of the crowd. **"Keyes, I want you and Franmalth and… Whoever, the Hell this guy is, to put these three fools into their regeneration pods. You may have lost one but there are still some more kicking about."** Almost exactly a second after the words had left his mouth, the three were off, dragging the dismantled and damaged bodies away to be healed up as they were afraid that they would end up the same if they disobeyed. Chuckling at their actions, Natsu turned back to the remaining 4 members of Tartaros.

"Master are you… Are you sure that you don't remember starting this Guild?" Kyoka decided to speak up, wanting to find out more about this powerful Demon Lord that stood before her.

" **Yep, I ain't got any clue what kind of crap this guy has been sprouting but I was being trained by Zeref for my whole Etherious life so I couldn't have been here. Speaking of which… what has Mard Geer told you all about your 'mission' in this world? The one that Zeref has set us?"** Watching with a critical gaze in his eye as Kyoka turned to Lamy, deciding that it would be best for the scientist to explain what was going on.

"Um, well when we were first created, we were told that we were the Demons created from Zeref's love and that is why we were sent here, away from him. But then Mard Geer said that he had found your book after years of longing and loneliness and that we would all untie under Zeref's wishes and your principals under the name Tartaros; a name that would strike down even the strongest foes and rule the world in darkness, just like Zeref envisioned." Lamy looked up at Natsu, the man being much taller than her and she felt a little intimidated by his stature.

" **Hm… Well sorry to break it to you all but that isn't Zeref's plan for us."**

"W-What do you mean?"

" **Um… How do I put this…? I know."** Taking in a deep breath, Natsu put all his strength and all his power into one thought; change back. Slowly, he felt his fins begin to shrink and his bones reset themselves as the clean white sheet and crimson marking began to fade and his lips came back along with his tan coloration, all the while his body was surrounded by a massive bonfire of scarlet. As the fires began to fade, there stood the original Natsu Dragneel, E.N.D being replaced by this boy. Shaking himself out of his haze, he tried to take a step forward, but soon found himself about to stumble and fall.

Before he felt someone catch him.

Looking up, he looked eyes once more with that of Sayla, the woman's features now showing signs of concern and worry rather than lust. Chucking, Natsu used Sayla to steady himself as he stood, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Thank you Sayla." Once again, the way he said her name made her feel warm and comfortable, even when he wasn't in his Etherious Form and it just made Sayla feel more engrossed and attached to this man then she ever felt before.

"It's fine, Master."

"Now then, I am not only the most powerful Etherious but I am also the first Etherious. Once upon a time, I was Zeref's brother; his actual brother, made of blood and born from the same parents. However, 400 years ago our parents died… And I died alongside them from a Dragon attack. Soon after, Zeref sank into a depressive state, and he began studying under dark arts to try and find ways to revive me and my parents but in doing so, he got himself cursed to live forever by Ankersam for playing around with life and death. In short? Anything he touched, got close to, or anything like that, he killed. It was a painful existence for him, so… So he created us; the Etherious. I already existed at this point, was a creation that he had been making for some time and after he was cursed, he used me as the base." Taking in a deep sigh, he locked eyes with every Etherious in the room before he spoke once more.

"Zeref made us to kill him."

* * *

 **And done! Hope you all enjoyed. Next chapter will see Natsu talking more with Tartaros about his position and will have us having a closer look at Hyperion's crew in Alvarez (OH YEAH! HE WAS A CHARACTER! I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT HIM!) Also, I am hinting at the relationship between Sayla and Natsu starting about now so... Yea... Enjoy? Remember, send in people that you want to replace Irene in the harem and also remember that you can PM me if you have any questions, worries or if you just wanna talk. Now goodbye and I'll see you on Wednesday!**

 **-Jack**


	15. Chapter 15

**Heyo everyone and welcome back.**

 **Yes, this is one day late... Yes, I did pass out... Yes, I needed a lot of sleep. But now we are back! And personally, this is my favourite chapter that I have ever written, no joke. I really like how this chapter went.**

 **But yes, we are continuing on. Now, as for the harem results, a lot of people went with 3 people: Juvia, Meredy and Flare. Now, I am fine with writing these people and am happy to do any of the 3 but I also had quite a lot of people coming to me saying that i should either not have another person to replace Irene and keep it at 9 people or to have the people who voted for Irene pick the new person. So.. what do you think? Should I keep another girl or should I keep it at 9 girls? And also, should I have only the people who voted for Irene be able to vote? I am kind o thinking about this cause it is the moral thing to do but by keeping it open I am allowing it to be more inclusive so... Decide and stuff. I dunno.**

 **Also, did you read that chapter! Oh my days! I have never felt so polarised about a single character before; Irene! Irene what are you doing to me?! All I'm going to say is that if you haven't read it before but just... Damn. Read it, I swear you won't be** **disappointed... But you might be sad.**

 **Now then, reviews!**

 **Chunnin33: Yeah, thanks for this idea. I guess we'll just have to see what people think about the idea but thank you for bringing it up. Also, thank you for the compliments.**

 **GoldenGoon: Don't worry, I have a plan for Irene that fits into that sort of mentor style.**

 **PugTheMagician: Eh, downright start or hinting, what's the difference really? But seriously, glad you liked it cause I do want to make this relationship thingy work.**

 **Awareness Bringer: Yea, after the information revealed in the most recent chapter, I can say that Irene ain't joining. It was weird but no, she is Erza's mother 100%. But Kyoka... If other people want it.**

 **McRasengan: Whose saying that she is the most powerful woman? Maybe at the minute... In the future though? Y-Yeah, she probably will stay the storngest to be honest.**

 **EuroSpawn: Perhaps, or maybe it will do the opposite? I dunno, its magic bullshit stuff.**

 **WolfGaming: Orange.**

 **Now onto chapter 15!**

* * *

Purpose; the desire and want to feel like you mean something to someone or something in the greater aspects of the world at large.

We all seek it, we all want to feel like the world itself has accepted us into its loving embrace and given us a reason to live and to want to continue living… But what happens when that feeling, those principals that you have lived by for decades are suddenly crushed and decimated by the harsh truth of reality? When the 'purpose' that you have been living for, the purpose that has dictated your whole life suddenly ceases to exist because fate had something else planned for you? When it all turns out to be a lie… Your whole existence… meaningless.

Want.

Desire

Purpose.

All manipulated, all fabricated… All fake.

To the Demons of Tartaros, this fact was something that none of them could have anticipated.

"W-W-What do you mean we were made to kill Zeref?! He's our creator, our Master… Why would he create us only to want to have us kill him?!"

Locking eyes with the pink haired man before her, Kyoka began to grow agitated and aggressive, her eyes becoming wide and unreadable as the swirled and darted around her sclera with the personality of an angry child. Her fists were clenched, and her whole body was shaking; how could E.N.D, this other worldly powerful being that they have long since seen as their leader that would bring the world to its knees alongside them all, tell them that it was all a lie… That they were just the fleshy, sentient pistols to some suicidal man who wanted to feel the sweet embrace of death, that all they were meant to do was kill that one, singular man.

It hurt, it pained, it struck them all deep within their cores and worked at them like a chisel to marble, crafting a new way of thinking inside of them as it tore and ripped away at their old way of life. Just… how? How could they all be so blind to their true purpose? How could it have been locked away for so long? How could they have been lost in the madness of their own desires, their own need for death and bloodshed that they would forget their own purpose?

Suddenly, Kyoka found herself enveloped by a body of heat, of fire and flesh, that wrapped its whole being around her in a loving embrace that spoke as many words as what would soon come from the figures tongue.

"Kyoka… Zeref felt lost, he felt bitter and angry at himself for what he had done… For the people he had killed as he bought me back from the dead. And so, as a result of this destructive and chaotic mind-set, he set about wanting to end his own existence. However, due to the Curse, placed upon him by Ankersam, he was unable to: no matter how many bullets, how many cuts, how many blasts of magic that he inflicted upon himself, death would not come… And then he saw an opportunity in me."

Stepping away from the woman, Natsu held her jaw in his hands to direct her frightened eyes towards his own, their onyx exterior calm and gentle, as he continued to speak in hushed tones.

"I was his creation, and so I could be his destruction. After my re-birth, he trained me, honed my skill of fighting and battle with tactics and strategy while he also trained my own unique Curse called **Harvest**. However, that wasn't enough in his mind. So, as some sort of back-up plan, he began to make other beings like me based on pieces of himself. And one by one, the Etherious were made and as time went on, and as Zeref began to create more and more Etherious, he used me and my own powers as the first Etherious to test out and to hone all of your Curses… But due to some complicated circumstances as a result of my first death at the hands of a Dragon's flames, all of the Curses inflicted unto me became based around the concept of fire and flames. In the end though, it got the job done and after I was able to master each of the Curses gifted to me, he bought them up to each of you, granting you all the power of the Curses that had been used on me. Except, you were all their intended owners so no fire was formed when you were gifted yours. I however stood as a constant combustible element of war and death that Zeref had made to kill and destroy; to kill and destroy only him though."

Taking a few steps back, Natsu still held Kyoka's gaze captive as he began to walk and wander around the room, his own features solemn and sturdy.

"And then he gave me off to the Fire Dragon King Igneel to learn magic as a way to further increase my arsenal of destructive capabilities alongside my own Demonic heritage. When I started my training in Fire Dragon Slayer Magic, Zeref had my memory wiped once more as to not interfere with my training; so, I forgot that I ever had a brother and I then saw Igneel as my father. However, I have heard many times that Igneel was planning to kill E.N.D and for a while, I thought that was my duty too. And then- "

The pink haired man clicked his fingers as he stared longingly at the broken regeneration chamber.

"Nothing. My memory goes blank. I trained with Igneel, went to sleep… Then nothingness… And then I woke up alone. Something happened that pushed me and him away, something that I hope to find and decimate for pulling us apart. However, now I have bigger, far greater aspirations ahead of me then just killing some guy or something… No, now I have to look after my own and ensure their safety; and if I die in the process, I am very happy to do so."

His little speech had lapsed the whole room back into silence, all watching Natsu intently with caution. All was quiet, all was still. Then, through the bleakness that had emerged from Natsu's words, light footsteps began to quietly come forth which slowly got closer and closer to the frozen Slayer. Quiet yet deliberate… And it just bought a smile to break out onto Natsu's hidden face. After a few seconds, said man felt a pair of strong yet slender arms wrap around his form in a sturdy vice of comfort as a soft collection of flesh impacted with his lower back. Swiftly tilting his head, Natsu couldn't help but smile even more at the sight of Sayla, her mass of black hair buried deep into his back.

"If that is your wish, Master… Then we shall all follow you to the end of those wishes."

Her tone had lost all semblance of seduction and lust, instead being filled and replaced by the feelings of warmth and kindness, the kind that Natsu was used to feeling from his Guild… His family. It made him feel loved, feel wanted, feel accepted like he had back then and honestly, he hadn't felt like that in a while. For a while, he had just felt like this strong, insanely strong even, beast that tore through everything to get to his goal and to some extent that was all he was for the last 2 years; he had slaughtered other creatures to ensure his own survival in a way that reminded him of his training with his Father, he had pushed information out of people and stole the information that they couldn't give him to further his goal of hunting down Hyperion. It was all consuming, all devouring… It was a flame that had hollowed and chiselled at his very being, becoming all devouring and all-consuming to his feelings.

But no more.

With this little push of devotion from this woman that he had known for less than 20 minutes, he felt that fire explode and envelope his whole form in a different kind of fire, a warm and welcoming flame that corroded any thoughts of doubt and harm that he had previously felt towards this group… They had devoted themselves completely to his selfish wishes in such a short time, whether that be out of love or fear or intimidation, but they had done it… And he would protect and cherish them all for it.

Placing his hands on the dainty, feminine ones that had wound their way around himself, he carefully lifted them before he spans around and let them re-root themselves into his back this time. Now, he was able to see the pretty face that looked up at him, her lips in a cute pout and her head titled as she looked at him like a child. It was cute… Natsu felt something new as his face felt hot and warm, but not uncomfortable; just… nice. Planting one hand on her head, he ruffled her tresses slowly and comfortably.

"Thank you Sayla… Thank you." Acting on instinct, he leant down and placed a chaste kiss on the Demon's forehead. From his past, he heard from Erza and Lucy that this was a nice, comforting gesture and he had also heard from Lisanna that it was nice to show how much you cared about someone. Leaving them there for a few seconds, Natsu just let heat and fire consume the two of them. After only a few hours, a few minutes, he felt complete devotion to these people and especially her, for all that they have done to him. Taking his lips of her skin, he gave the stunned and shocked girl one last smile before he removed himself from her frozen grasp as he walked off towards the other Demons. It took a while, but then Sayla followed; if her shaky steps were enough.

Halting before the fallen form of Mard Geer, the previous Master still damaged and broken before him, Natsu just looked upon him with confusion and questions lingering in his eyes. Crouching down, he engaged Mard in a stare off.

"Why'd you lie?"

"Mard Geer didn't. Mard Ge- "

"Why. Did. You. Lie. To. Them."

He sighed, followed by harsh coughing.

"Mard Geer visited one of your human cities once, when we were sent away by Zeref. And inside it, Mard Geer saw a Guild, a group of people and creatures that could all congregate for a single goal. It was strange; they were all so different and so unique but they decided to spend it in this coup, this group this- "

"This family." Natsu interrupted, locking and captivating the eyes of those around him. Then he calmly nodded to his shoulder, indicating to his free Guild Mark. It seemed to shine and glow with molten fire and outlined in a hot orange sunset. He was part of a family…

A family, huh?

"Yes… After seeing these people and reflecting on Mard Geer's own feelings, Mard Geer felt envy and jealousy at how they could be so happy and joy filled together as well as how they could be so calm without Zeref. Then, Mard Geer remembered about the others, the other Etherious and with Mard Geer's great insight and knowledge, Mard Geer united us all under the one thing that would truly unite us all; you."

Looking down at the floor, Mard Geer couldn't find it within himself it look Natsu in the eye. Meanwhile, said pink haired Slayer could only look on with an unreadable look in his eyes.

Then he moved. He leant down… And began to pick up the Demon. All eyes were wide and confused.

"You may not have realised it Mard Geer, but deep down you wanted family. It is said that you were all made from Zeref's love, right? So, deep down you all wanted to feel love, to desire and feel love from anyone and if you had to unite yourselves under something fake then so be it. In my eyes, you did the wrong things for the right reasons. And for that, that want to family, for love, for care… I thank you for uniting all of the Etherious Mard, I truly do."

Fully standing the man up, Natsu supported the Demon as he looked at him with wide eyes.

"Y-You do… Master?"

He smiled.

"I do, Mard. And I will happily take over this Guild, become its Master and care for you all… Do not worry; I will not let you fall like Zeref did."

With a smile, Mard Geer collided into Natsu's chest with a cheerful cry, tears of happiness and acceptance streaming down his face, only to turn to smoke when they hit the pinkette's skin. And Natsu let it continue; he needed an outlet, a place to give off his emotions. Twisting his neck, Natsu locked eyes with the rest of Tartaros, the 3 that had previously gone to put the other Etherious in their chambers having returned.

Gently pushing Mard away, he smirked at him before standing up before the other Demons.

"I have not been E.N.D for very long, at least not as long as I wished I had; for your sakes. But now… Now I am here. I cannot abandon my family at Fairy Tail, never… But now you are an extension and I will care for you all like I have done for them."

Looking down at his bare chest, the pinkette suddenly got an idea. Lifting a clawed finger to his chest, he slowly began to cut and carve a symbol, a shape into his upper pectoral, on the same side as his Guild mark. The rest of Tartaros watched on in shock and confusion as the man continued to manoeuvre and carve a shape into his skin. Blood began to trickle and pool down his body until he finally finished… And what was left behind was the Tartaros Guild Mark.

Looking up, his eyes held only fire and determination and strife as he thought back on his journey up to this point. He had had his struggles, his pain, his battle, but now he was finally back with a family… And to protect them was his goal, his mission, his life. To protect was the nature of a Dragon, to horde what was his and to not let anyone get near their own treasures…

And Natsu was a **Dragon.**

Smirking, Natsu spoke up once more.

"Now if I was to ask you to follow me anywhere, would you?"

They all nodded.

"And if I said that I would let none of you die, no matter where we went… Would you still follow me?"

They nodded again.

"And if I asked you to go to war, with the full intent to kill and destroy those who would harm this world, would you?"

They nodded.

"Good... Now you will have to excuse my selfishness, because my first decision as a Guild Master- "

He swirled on his heels, and began to paint and scribble a sign onto the stone walls. When he stopped, what was left in his wake was the symbol of Hyperion. Smirking, he clenched his fists and in a burst of pure magic and energy, an explosion of power radiated off his body and spread through the very skies and earth for miles' around. He then turned to his new friends with determination and strength present in his eyes, crimson fire clawing at his frame.

"Is that Tartaros is going to war with the Titans of Alverez."

* * *

Across the sea, among the swooping canopies and the harsh green treelines that outlined and overshadowed the cities below sat a rusted and deserted building.

It stood tall and proud but the exterior and the ruins left from whatever catastrophe that hit and demolished this place begged to differ, painting the picture of a broken and deserted place with no proper home to any beings… But that was wrong. Inside, the different layers held warmth and light as well as sounds.

"What the actual fuck do you think you're doing!?"

That shout of defiance and violence emerged seconds before a figure crashed through a brittle and tattered wooden wall, causing it to splinter and shatter all around the collapsing figure. After finally collapsing, letting the floor-boards creak and groan under the sudden excessive weight and force and having the dust clear, the figure became visible.

It was a man, quite lean and with pale skin that contrasted heavily against the dark floor. His hair was a dark blue with strips of light blue running rampant through it, with short bangs falling forward over his forehead and ending quite a bit before his narrow black eyes. The rest of his face followed the same sorts of theme, being sharp and angular, leading down to his black clothes. He had a long black jacket with several steel buckles and patches littering the arms and chest atop of a dark blue undershirt. He also adorned his hands in black fingerless gloves with small holes in the centre of each palm. For his pants, he stuck to the dark theme with black combat pants and heavy black combat boots with a blue tint. Attached to his belt, he held several canisters of water that was now spilt onto the floorboards. Currently, he was sprawled out on the floor, holding his head in pain.

"Ah… What the fuck was that for, Ghost Girl?!" His voice was moderate and powerful, holding enough weight that it could rise above a crowd if needed but could also be lost in one if he wished. Following his voice, several light, almost silent steps were heard before a new figure stepped through the newly made hole in the wooden wall.

Now, this figure was a woman of an average height with a lithe frame. However, her body was bathed in monochromatic lights that absorbed the surroundings, turning them into a similar white and black colouration. Her face, also sharp and angular, was of pure white with completely black eyes that absorbed the whole eye. Keeping with this theme, her hair, while long, had the same monochromatic colour scheme, being mostly white while still having flicks and layers of black. Also adorning her face was what appeared to patches of crimson, highlighting her eyes and small features. Her body was covered in a simple white dress, tattered and cut up at the edges with shoeless feet. Among her body, different layers of wetness and water followed and dripped off her agitated form. It was almost like she was dead, lifless… A Ghost.

"What was that for? What was that for!? That was stealing all of my water, you fucking moron." Stomping her foot like a child, the waves of light waved and shifted slightly before righting themselves. Growling, the man stood up.

"Yea, and why wouldn't I?! You can't just hog the whole water supply for yourself, I need it to practice my magic. Or do you want me to die in our next battle?" Glaring down at the much shorter girl, the Ghost proudly took up her own blade of eyesight against the man. As they were staring, he was slowly shifting his hands back and forth, which in turn moved the water on the floor around and back up into his canisters.

"To be honest, I wouldn't really mind if you did!"

"You little brat!"

A bright flash of light hit the room, engulfing it in heat and fire, but the two didn't seemed deterred in their staring contest. After a short while, a gruff voice spoke up.

"Ahem…"

Looking over with a bored look, the two suddenly stood to attention at the sight of the one and only Hyperion. Over the last year, he had grown out a short beard and his white, shaggy hair had grown out slightly but had overall remained short. His burns hadn't gotten any better, still being displayed on his face and neck and he still was garbed in his black cloak alongside his boots. His face held an unimpressed look. However, the girl looked quite happy.

"Brother! Welcome back!"

"Hello Phoebe… So, what were you and Oceanus arguing about?" His face now contorted to a smirk as he looked upon his team-mate, the man huffing as he knew whose side his fellow Devil Slayer would take.

"Well, he took all my water! I was gonna take a bath but then he took all of it!"

"Yea, well, I needed it for my training!"

"What traini- "

"Shush… Shush…" Hyperion had this sense of calm and control about him as he put the two down, hushing them until they were quiet enough for him to speak. "Good, now do any of you know where Kronos is? I need to speak to him?"

The two Titans who were previously arguing went wide eyed at the mention of their leader; Kronos was the leader of the Titans of Alvarez, employed specifically by Zeref himself. Usually, they didn't speak all that much, he and the rest of the Titans, but when they did it was about business. In fact, they didn't really know if they wanted to speak to him outside of business. He was a dangerous man, a deadly creature that enjoyed death and murder a little too much… And he ruled over them all. But now Hyperion had a message for him? This was… bad.

"U-Uh last time I saw him; he was out training in the deep woods."

"Thank you Oceanus… When you next see Iapetus, tell him that us three have to do some training together: see how well our Devil Slaying has gotten." He had a wide smirk on his face as he talked about their team-mate on the Demonic Titans, the Lightning Devil Slayer absent from their current discussion.

"Yea, sure, you got it man."

"Good."

Hyperion made an action to move but then they all felt… something wash over them. It was true, unrelenting power that felt hot to the touch and heated them all up from the second it reached them. It was free and roaming, seeking out its targets with such strength and accuracy that it was almost sentient. It was POWER.

However, to Hyperion, it was familiar. He hadn't felt it in a while, but he would definitely remember that power spike, that signature defining outlook of magic that would be permanently seared onto his mind. And he was happy to feel it once more.

After it faded, the other two in the room didn't take note of the man's prone state straight away.

"W-Woah what was that?" Phoebe asked, her tone shaky as she looked around the room.

"I-I don't know… But it was something strong. What do you think, Hyperion? … Hyperion?"

Both pairs of eyes were now glued onto his back, unmoving and stationary. Then after a while, he turned back but now his eyes were fuelled by fire and joy, determination and desire with a sinister smirk on his face, the blue flares of his magic sparking and spitting at the floor.

"Yes… Everything is fiiiine~."

' _Welcome back Natsu… And I expect a better battle this time…'_

* * *

 **And done. So, how was it? Hopefully it was good. Now then, hopefully you had a nice time. And um... End of the Natsu vs Tartaros Arc has arrived but now it is the start of the Tartaros vs The Titans arc where Natsu will finally inact his revenge and get to fight the Devil Slayer Hyperion. And just to remind you, there are 7 Titans of Alverez so there are other Titans that have not been shown off. So, I'll see you in Sunday for a very, very...**

 **MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS!**

 **See ya!**

 **-Jack**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hel- Yeah I know I fucked up.**

 **Yes, hello everyone and welcome back to Slayer's Flame. You have no idea how long I've wanted to write that again. Yes, I have been gone since... December and... It's almost March now... Fuck. But seriously, I have just been swamped with work and stuff from school that has really limited me from keeping up to date with everything and alongside that, I have had the worst case of writer's block with this sotry for those 2 months. No joke, i have re-written this chapter 5 times... 5 FUCKING TIMES! Yea, it's a real struggle comiing up with something after the end of an arc so, I hope this is okay for you guys. Now listen, i have exams in March, like pre-publics, so if I do not upload for some time in March, that is why. I will be trying to get back to my 'Chapter every Sunday schedule starting from next week (cause this is going up on a Thursday) so... Yay for progress?**

 **Anyway, what else? Oh yea, I just wanted to thank you all for the support this story has been recieving. We are almost at 700 followers... ... ... Just... Just... You're all mad. Thank you all so much for allowing me to entertain you with this story, seriously, thank you all.**

 **First things first though, I just wanted to thank Lord Rikudou cause he's been a massive help with this chapter, from brainstorming ideas to helping me with the opening. Just thank you man, really, it means a lot to me.**

 **Now then, reviews!**

 **Chimera629: The symbol was the symbol that the Titans use that was described in an earlier chapter (an eye on fire) and yes, Silver is a Devil Slayer so they do know.**

 **WolfGaming: Orange, Pineapple, Courgette. I needed to catch up.**

 **TreWill91: In the Wiki article he wasn't... I mean... From my amazing knowledge of Greek mythology (shit, they know)**

 **Guest: The Titans are weaker then the Spriggans by a significant margin, like the strongest is just as strong as the weakest Spriggan and that is still really far away from the others, as well as the other Titans not being anywhere close to as powerful as the strongest Titan. And yes, Natsu is getting much stronger.**

 **AngryHenry: Well, I hope that I could distract you enough. No malice in that statement or anything, seriously I hope I helped you. Also, thanks for the corrections, I'm not big on grammatical scrutiny so it helps when others point it out for me... Thanks, really thank you.**

 **Naruto: What do you have against scars? Like serious question, what's so bad with scars?**

 **Nugueria: For the most part, the combined magic will just be his primary source of engagement but he might use is separate magics in the future if he is trying to fake people out. Also, his training with the combined magic means that the base of those magics will be stronger when he eventually uses them again. And if I'm honest, I still have no idea about the harem... I might just keep it at nine cause its simple.**

 **TheLaughingStalkCan'tWakeUp: Heckle do, indeed.**

 **Draco Lightning: He's there, he's just with Gajeel who we haven't really seen yet.**

 **T-B-R: Yep, she's just resting after what happened at Tenroue.**

 **CooperJordan: Something like that. I don't wanna spoil what will happen, but something to do with Fairy Tail and the Demons will happen.**

 **Guest: Hey, character development is needed! Also, he hasn't been with any of the girls for 15 chapters so how could he talk to them HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!**

 **ArinaSution5: Go, go Naruto?**

 **Anyway, no onto chapter 16!**

* * *

Glancing around the Guild, Makarov huffed.

Time for another S-Class Trial. Directing his eyes to the floor, the old Titan couldn't help but think of that disastrous event from 3 years ago, how it tore apart their Guild's sacred grounds and disgraced the memory of their ancestor, how it ripped apart the usual courage and bravery that he and his children usually felt towards challenge… How it forced one of those children to take up their own arms and leave to grow stronger.

"Natsu…"

A grim expression drifted over the man's face. 3 years and not one direct message from the boy. A few hints at his whereabouts, an odd flickering fire that would last for a bit longer than anticipated or the rewards to a quest being forwarded to their Guild even though no completion was carried out or even when someone mentioned that they saw someone with freakishly bright pink hair in the streets. Every single time it filled them with false hope that he was coming back from his journey, that he was finally strong enough. A few times, around the time when he left or when it was his or Happy's birthday (they chose the day that he joined as his birthday due to the Dragon Slayer lacking any memory of his date of birth) he would hear some members talk about how 'he must be strong enough now' or 'how strong did the damn idiot need to be'. However, Makarov knew that he wouldn't be back for a while; if he needed to be the strongest he could, anyway. If he came back now, he knew that Natsu would feel like some sort of disgrace or an embarrassment to the Guild even though, in reality, he really was the heart of Guild.

Shaking his head, Makarov repeated the same few words that he had been saying to himself for those three years.

"He'll come back when he's ready,"

"Hm? What's the matter, Master?"

Twisting his head to his left, Makarov's hardened eyes softened as he gazed upon the concerned face of Mirajane. Over the past few years, she hadn't changed much. She still retained her carefree, loving attitude towards the others members of the Guild while remaining at her post as barmaid. However, she suddenly started retraining her magic one day, becoming stronger and stronger until there was a glint of the old Mira back in her, meaning that a little rivalry with Erza was going to emerge sooner or later. It hadn't happened yet, outside of a few small jabs, but the old man was waiting for it with baited breath.

"Oh, it's nothing dear, don't you worry."

Pushing himself up and off his stall, planting his feet firmly on the wooden material while picking up his glass of beer midway through, slugging it up to his maw with one firm grasp. A few seconds went by with the Straus girl just smiling at the man as he let his face be consumed by the cloudy froth of the alcohol before he stopped and confronted the barmaid once again.

"So, what do you think of my new S-Class idea then?"

The Titan had a smug grin masking his face while faint particles of red hit his cheeks as he made his request towards the woman. In response, she held her hand under her chin in a very over the top way of thinking. In her head, though, it was different. It was a complicated web of ideas about the Master's new plan for the S-Class trials. Overall, the Guild hadn't had a trial in over 3 years, not since… Not since that day when Acnologia attacked Tenroue.

Not since the day they lost Natsu…

Shaking her head free of the dark thoughts that she knew were inevitable if she continued, Mira looked back at the old man, a sway clear in his movements. However, she could also see the concern and the worry in his eyes as he gazed upon the girl.

"Mirajane, are you okay? You looked a little lost for a second there…"

He said it quietly, almost silently against the noisy backdrop of the Guild Hall. She could still hear him, though. She also knew that he had an idea of why she got so lost, she just knew it. Giving him a small smile as he held her hands to her bust, she just lightly nodded.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine. Going back to your question though, I think the idea is splendid since we can't use the Island anymore."

"Great! I knew you'd like it!"

Smiling, he lurched forward with some sort of strange, perverse glint in his eye until he looked up to see the sickly-sweet smile of a woman hellbent on punishment. He seized any further attempt to woo the woman. Coughing into his hand to purposely turn away from her piercing glare, the Titan began to stumble over to the stage to announce the potential candidates for S-Class.

After saying hello to a few of the members, he eventually made it to the stage where he stood above the whole population of the Guild. Before he spoke up, he took another look around at everyone, at how they were just enjoying life and enjoying being around each other; along the edge of the chaos at the centre, sat people like Alzack and Bisca who were caring for one another as well as their daughter, Asuka, who had only been born a few months ago yet she was so used to the Guild's noise… Then there was his grandson and the Thunder Tribe, all of them bickering about something insignificant yet being happy in the fact that they were talking at all. Looking into the centre of the mess that was his home, Makarov beamed at the fact that there were so many people just continuing to live and have fun; the remaining members of Team Natsu all sat around one table, just talking about Erza's new armour or Lucy's rent, while others like Gajeel sat alongside Levy as she went over different reading material with Shadow-Gear and darting in and out of them, Kinana and Lisanna took orders and ran them back to Mira at the bar. Overall, it was just Fairy Tail being… Well, Fairy Tail.

"Ahem. I have an announcement to make."

Almost immediately, the Tiatn's voice made everyone in the Guild stop talking in return for meeting his patient and caring stare.

"Oi, what's up then Master?"

"Yea, what you got to tell us?"

Smiling at their impatience, he gave out a small sigh.

"Well, if you'd actually shut your yaps for once, then maybe I'd be able to tell you." He chuckled. "Anyway, if you recall, the S-Class Trails have been put off for over 3 years at this point as a result of Tenroue and what it forced our Guild to do."

Pausing, Makarov suddenly felt the atmosphere change quite quickly. Suddenly, everyone was tense and a strange all-consuming essence of sadness washed over the entire crowd, hitting and sinking into a few more than others.

"However, today is not the day that we dwell on that decision! Today is the day that we move forward from that event, the day that we change and adapt to new conditions, to new experiences. Today is the day that Fairy Tail resumes the S-Class Trials after its hiatus!"

All across the room, the thin veil of sadness was lifted and with it came the cheers and joy of the crowd before him and Makarov couldn't be happier at their response; if he was honest, he thought that they would oppose him as a result of what happened but no, they accepted it with warm hearts and open arms. Smiling, he looked amongst the crowd of happy faces with a heightened amount of glee about his face as well.

"Now… who shall be taking the exam this year? Well, the first is Mr – "

The ground shook.

The entire Guild froze as they took in this new feeling.

"Shit… Gildarts is back."

Then? Chaos. Panic and confusion spread across the room as people rushed around to try and prepare for the cataclysmic event that was about to take place. Makarov, however, remained rooted in his spot as he thought about the situation. Gildarts had left on a random S-Class job a few days before Natsu had left, meaning that he had no idea that the idiot was gone… Sighing, he just sat down in preparation for the end of the 'Gildarts Shift.'

Eventually, the noise died down outside and for a few seconds, everything was totally calm. Then…

 ***BOOM***

With such explosive force that they were nearly ripped off their hinges, the doors flew open and slammed against the walls, leaving a deep indent. Out of the light, stepped out a man with his long ginger locks flowing freely in the wind as his body was coated in a long brown cloak and the clearly visible sound of clanking metal accompanied his walking.

Here, was Gildarts.

"Hey! How are you all doing?"

"GILDARTS!"

For the next few minutes, it was just a collection of happy chaos as everyone crowded around the man and began to welcome him back to the Guild, which he happily returned. All the while, Makarov just sat observing with a smile until the man came over to talk to him. And after a while, he managed to.

"How are you, Master?"

"I'm good, thank you. How about you?"

"Good, good. I've been alright, the quest wasn't too hard, it was just tracking the fuckers that proved to be irritating."

The two shared a quick laugh before Gilarts turned back to the Guild.

"Now then, where's my little girl?!"

At the bar, a heavy sigh could be made out alongside the sounds of a head colliding with the wood. This, unfortunately for the perpetrator, alerted the man to her presence.

"Cana!"

"Hey Dad."

For the next few minutes, it was just filled with Gildarts talking quite passionately to Cana about his job, to which she appeared quite bored. Once again, Makarov kept out of it. Thinking back, it too was only a few days after Gildarts left that she told everyone that he was her father, after confirming that she had told him on Tenroue. And now… Now all they could do was wait for the dreaded question.

"Hey, say… Where's Natsu? I haven't seen him about and usually, he's the first to greet me…"

Gildarts mused, taking another look around the Guild before noticing the effect that his words had on the people who occupied the hall. All around, the Guild was plunged into a place of despair and sadness as certain people gazed over at others, all of which held a massive sense of longing and pain deep within their eyes while others became physically enraged. At the sight of this, and at the memory of the brief moments of how Natsu acted when he told the man of Lisanna's death, he jumped to the worst conclusion.

"Wait, he's not fucking dead, is he?!"

His words caused Makarov to finally speak up. Coughing, he gestured for the man to follow him to his office as he stood.

"No, he's not… Come Gildarts; there is a lot for you to catch up on."

And Gildarts followed, leaving a solemn Guild to his back.

" **Draconic Fire God's Bellowing Roar**!"

" **Ice Devil's Rage**!"

A beautiful collision of ice and fire encompassed the whole arena as the two attacks impacted each other, shards and flickers of each element spreading across the whole field. It was like a supernova of purple and red, both colours eating away at each other until the far superior crimson overpowered the purple, smashing it into complete nothingness. On each side of the collision, stood two men, both sweating and panting but for one, it was from doing this for half an hour… The other had been doing this all day.

Smirking as he twiddled the hard chain around his hands, Natsu met the hardened gaze of Silver as the man slammed both his hands together in an attempt to create something out of Ice; to Natsu, the pose was similar and so he knew its weaknesses… After all, like father like son. Before he could dwell on the thought too much, he was alerted to the completion of the Devil Slayer's technique by the tiny clicking sound that erupted throughout the skies. Crouching, the Slayer got ready for take-off.

" **Ice Devil's Sword Valley**!"

From all around the battlefield, a multitude of swords and blades of pure crystallised ice began to spring up, all of them aimed towards the Heavens and slowly closing in on the pinkette. However, Natsu didn't move. Instead, he unwound the chain wrapped around his wrist and swung it backwards in an arc above him head with both hands. As he was doing so, the black molten metal of the chains began to pulse and breath fire as it moved, creating an effect of an ocean of flames in the skies. Finally, reaching the earth just as the blades reached in, Natsu let out his own cry.

" **Draconic Fire God's Cataclysm Chain**!"

Slamming it to the ground, the whole arena was replaced by massive amounts of heat and fire that bounced and bounded off of each wall and back into the centre of the arena, melting all the ice that was created and reducing it to water that evaporated as soon as it melted. Not finishing his strife, Natsu launched himself forward off the floor and towards the unprotected Silver. Catching the man around the neck using his chain, he began to bend the ice user of his back using the steel resulting in many harsh clicks from both parties.

"Yield?"

The pinkette spoke with a laugh. It was quiet for a few seconds.

"Y-Yield."

Sighing, Natsu relented the heat and dropped the man to the floor, allowing said man to sigh in relief and just happily lay down on the floor. Glancing back towards Silver, he smiled.

"You're getting better."

"And you're still a jackass."

He laughed.

"Well then this jackass just kicked your ass… Again."

Walking over to him, he pinkette offered his hand to the black-haired man, which was happily taken, and he was once again pulled to his feet with a grunt. Patting him on the back, Natsu walked over to the group of spectators that were watching them from the side-lines.

Along the side of the arena, sat the likes of Ezel, Jackal, Kyoka and Sayla. The first two had gone up against Natsu a few hours ago, and had ended up much like Silver, the man now using his own ice to cool down his enflamed wounds and bruises, where-as Kyoka was there to learn more leadership tactics and skills off of Natsu which he had also done a while ago. Sayla though… Sayla just sort of watched him go throughout his fights, offering him food or water throughout the day as he trained with the other members. To be honest, it felt nice, to have someone look after you in a harsh place like this.

As he looked at her, he couldn't help but admire the woman. Out of everyone at Tartaros, Sayla was easily the one that he was closest to, she had helped him out with so much, such as getting used to the grounds and the Plutogrim, as well as helping him out with some of the jobs that were needed as a Master of somewhere like Tartaros. But aside from all of that, she was just someone that he liked to be around. Sure, she had a mean streak to her, but that just sort of reminded him of Mira back at Fairy Tail and just knowing that made him feel warm inside.

When he finally reached the spectator area, he was quickly handed a bottle of water by Sayla, the Demon woman giving him a nod and a kind smile. As he drank, he just listened to the other Demons talk, relishing in their conversations as he thought about the last 6 months. In those three months, he had become attached and involved with every Demon that lived in Tartaros, both as a Master and as a friend. It made him appreciate Makarov so much more and appreciate his family back home so much more as well, because he had been along up to that point… He had been alone for almost three years.

' _Three years huh?'_

Finishing his drink, he threw the container to the floor as he wiped his mouth, giving the purple haired Demon a thank you for the drink.

"Hey Natsu, how long has it been since you last visited your Guild?"

Quirking an eyebrow, the pinkette turned to Silver, the man who had posed the question and as a result drew the attention of every Demon in the arena.

"How long? Well… I haven't been back since I left to be honest…"

He answered, rubbing his head sheepishly as he gazed down at his Guild mark on his shoulder, before gazing down at the unofficial scar of the Tartaros mark on his chest, the scar still relevant and harsh against his skin.

"Hm… You should visit them."

Now it was Kyoka who poised the answer, the woman leaning back on her seat as she looked at her Master.

"Why? I said I'd only return when I was strong enough to protect them… And I still ain't…."

He quietly mused, looking down at his hands in disappointment. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sayla giving him a sympathetic look.

"Did I say return to them? No, I don't think I did, ~ _Master_ ~."

He huffed. Kyoka liked to be very… Sassy, even though he was the Master. However, he didn't use his position very often so it was to be expected.

"You know she's right, though. You haven't even left the Guild grounds in the six months that you've been here."

"Yeah, but I had to get cemented and properly set up as Guild Master first, Silver."

"And that took you six months?"

"Shut up…"

Natsu sighed, sitting down next to Sayla. Pouting, he put his head against her shoulder and murmured into her flesh.

"Sayla, they're being mean to me…"

Chuckling, the Demon began to stroke the side of his face as she looked around the group.

"Well you're the Guild Master, I'm but a lowly servant."

Laughing into her skin, and making her shiver slightly as a result, he stood back up and looked at them all.

"But seriously, why do you think I should go? I'm fine here… Plus, even if I did go, I don't think that I could find it in myself to face them right now. I made a promise so…"

Slumping against the wall, he went through the idea in his head. They were right, for the past 6 months, he hadn't left the Guilds grounds, instead sending people like Mard or Silver to collect stuff from towns. This had led to a few… Incidents, but nothing that he couldn't solve. Also… he just sorts of felt happy in Tartaros, he felt happy working with Lamy on her research or helping the guys with their training or Kyoka with her leadership training or… Just spending time with Sayla. He could happily just stay here until it was time to go to Alvarez.

Eventually, Sayla just sighed, stood up and crouched down next to his fallen form.

"The reason that you should go, Master, is to remember what you're fighting for."

Looking up, Natsu quirked an eyebrow at the woman, encouraging her to continue.

"You said it from the start of this Guild, right? That your goal was to protect your family? We know that you can do that, that you can protect us and you yourself know that you can protect us but your Guild Mates… You have no idea what they are doing. Even if you don't talk to them, just seeing them would be better than nothing, wouldn't it? Master…"

Near the end, the Demon had subconsciously gabbed a hold of Natsu's hand and began to rub and run her fingers over the hot flesh, feeling both her own body as well as the pinkette's body begin to relax and release a massive build-up of tension. This was only exemplified when the two met each other's gaze, as they felt everything else wash away with only the beautiful orbs of onyx and purple remaining. To both, it just looked so… so beautiful.

Smiling a kind smile, Natsu lightly pulled the girl forward, causing her to stumble from her crouched spot and into his warm embrace. From where he was sitting, Natsu could see the smug looks on the faces of Kyoka and Silver, but he didn't care. Shoving his face into her purple tresses, the Slayer just let her body and her scent take over his being. Meanwhile, the Demon just let her body succumb to her Master's desires and so she also began to take his body, not minding the sweat or the heat. In fact, glancing over his chest at the scar in the shape of their Guild somehow managed to make her heart flutter… He had really helped her develop over the last few months, hadn't he? Then, Natsu planted a small kiss of Sayla's forehead, effectively shutting down all of her bodily functions for a few seconds as he whispered something in her ear.

"Thank you Sayla… This means a lot."

Leaning back, he smiled at her before standing up, but he didn't let go of the girl. Instead, he dragged her up with his own body, continuing to use the wall as support. Looking up at his friends, at his allies, at his Guildmates, Natsu just smiled an even broader smile.

"Thank you all for recognising it… I'll do it. I'll go visit Fairy Tail."

* * *

 **And done! Thank you for reading! This will be a very short, 2-3 chapter arc of Natsu just visiting Magnolia with Sayla to break up the two fighting arcs, then its back into war and death and fighting so don't worry. So, I thank you once again and I'll see you later!**

 **-Jack**


	17. Chapter 17

**Sup!**

 **Um... Hi...**

 **Shit.**

 **Well hello everyone, welcome back to Slayer's Flame with me, your host that disappears for long periods of time, Jack! Yea I'm sorry. As I've said in my other stories, a lot of shit has been going down since February. Example, I had some of the most important exams of my life that I needed like 3 months to study for which not only killed my time but it also killed my imagination and so writing became so fucking hard... Writer's block is a real bitch.** **Then... Um, video games? Yea, I know, but those games are real fucking good okay? However, I hope to get back to some sort of schedule soon... Some sort...**

 **Anyway, first off... What the Hell have you guys been doing? 900 followers... 900 FOLLOWERS?! Why?! My story is bad!? Seriously... I can't thank you enough for all the support on this story, really I will never take it for granted.**

 **Second... Fairy Tail ended. Yup its over now... So Imma say my opinions on the ending...**

 **It was alright. But seriously, most of it was good like Gale being real (YES! YES!) and Gruvia (Eh, its fine I guess) with the extra stuff being good. I like the ending with the 100 Year Quest... And NaLu didn't happen so that made me happy (P.S i only hate this ship cause of how forced it feels and how the fandom has pretty much forced any other ship out in favour of NaLu so to see it not exist just makes me happy... everyone on Tumblr is in denial). My major problems though...**

 **WHY THE FUCK ARE MAVIS AND ZEREF STILL ALIVE!? WHAT THE FUCK MAN!? HE LITERALLY CANNOT KEEP ANYONE DEAD! NOBODY HAS DIED OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE IN THIS WHOLE ARC! THE ONLY PEOPLE TO DIE ARE VILLAINS, EVERYONE ELSE WAS RESURRECTED! SERIOUSLY WHAT THE FUCK!**

 **Now that this rant is over... Another one! Yay... So the last Arc, the Alverez War arc, was so bad. I don't care what others say, it was so badly handled and so rushed with no real weight. Like Erza's mom was introduced with a cool and twisted backstory... And then she did nothing but show how Deus Ex Machina Erza is before killing herself. She didn't need to exist and I actually hate her character for doing FUCKING NOTHING. AND then some plot points were just really stupid! Natsu was built up as END, this was gonna be a great fight and then... He just says that he doesn't want to be END... And he's not anymore? Fucking STUPID! And then some people just got forgotten about... Brandish? Dimaria? Where were they in the ending? They're both alive, right? So where are they?! This last arc was horrible and killed all my love for Fairy Tail, the ending and the Dragon Slayer fight bought it back somewhat before I kick it away because of the Zeref/Mavis twist...**

 **Done.**

 **If you really like the ending or the Alverez arc, go ahead and like it, I'm not telling you you aren't allowed to like it. I just think it was really fucking dumb. If you like NaLu, go ahead I don't care. i don't like, you like it. I don't care, like what you want to. I'm just saying my opinion.**

 **Now then... Reviews!**

 **NinjaFang1331: Thank you!**

 **TreyAlexander63917: They will have a confrontation of some kind and yeah, he'll learn Devil Slaying Magic.**

 **Guest: Yea, Harem list at the end.**

 **DuskRider: This will be a... Little different then you think.**

 **Said The Bird: Wow, such comment. Much meme. Old as fuck though... Still good. Thank you!**

 **StreakFreak: You'll seeeeeee.**

 **MIKE202303: I'm sorry but my hate for Irene would lead to me just writing her as a really bad character. Like I could change it, but I would despise writing for her so I cannot because it would just drag down the rest of the story.**

 **Naruto: Um... Okay? I sort of get it. Eh, anyway I like scars on characters as it shows what kind of perils they go through and for someone like Natsu, I feel like he'd look at them and like to remember what got him there, what mistakes he made and come back from that.**

 **ThePhoenix9498: Thank you, I'm just... like 6 months late.**

 **Leonidas91: Nah. He's got a heart of gold now.**

 **Guest: Bit morbid don't you think? But yeah, people will die soon.**

 **Rocleet: Nope. The fact that someone being a Demon doesn't affect their Demon Slaying ability, as seen by BloodMan who was an Etherious who uses Ice Devil SLAYING Magic so nope, Natsu's fine.**

 **MiseryWolf97: I've explained my NaLu feelings so probably not cause its the same thing as Irene; I dislike her so I'd just write her bad. But thank you.**

 **ArtanisRose: Thank you! And... SPOILERS! But you'll see soon cause it is pretty big.**

 **UpAndAtem: Thanks! And who says he is the leader of a Dark Guild? Hehehehehe.**

 **GrubK1ng: 1. I like Wendy, she is in my top 3 favourite characters.**

 **2\. I hate Irene. I feel nothing for her.**

 **3\. Wendy has much more development then Irene and is a WAY BETTER CHARACTER THEN IRENE! Irene is nothing, no development, no build up, nothing to make me care.**

 **4\. I live in England so I go by English laws; at the age of 16, we are allowed to have sex and are pretty much adults (pretty much, some stuff we still can't do) and Wendy will be aged up so it is acceptable. Plus... I think having a younger girl is a lot more acceptable then the mother of another girl, don't ya think?**

 **There, that is why I will not add Irene.**

 **Guest: Jeez um... Thank you, you make me feel really happy for this so really I thank you.**

 **And now... Chapter 17!**

* * *

Letting out a shaky sigh, Natsu allowed his finger-tips to roam over the charred and crumbling sign.

It was battered and damaged, black edges from deep gashes of ash pouring in from each corner that made the words that resided within it almost impossible to read while the area around it remained scorched, lacking the lush green grass that the surrounding area held. Even now, almost 3 years after he left, he could still taste the smoke and the fire, the crispy texture of the air that held hints of charcoal and cinnamon. Further beyond that, where the words, meeting with the scarred areas in the wood, had begun to become illegible and fall away from his fingers in splinters as he roamed.

However, Natsu would never forget what this sign said, even after it had fallen.

 _Magnolia._

"Home."

Before his very eyes sat the seemingly monstrous hill of flowers and ferns that blocked off his passage and sight from the glorious sight that was his town. In its inaction, in its natural place of just sitting there as a colossal gate of nature, it acted as the final barrier between the pink haired man's goal but it also acted as the final place where he could just walk away and not deal with the potential pain that he would be feeling; he wouldn't lie, the idea of just not seeing anyone at Fairy Tail was tempting due to the fact that he would have to restrain himself in the tightest manacles of imagination in order to stop himself from running into the Guild and ceasing his mission here and now.

Shaking his head and removing his palm from the sign, he relented. No, he had to do this… Had to remember what exactly he was fighting for. Looking down at the ground for a slight second, he chuckled at the sight of still present scorch marks that stained the gravel and left curvatures of his own fire in the very earth; guess he really did leave an impact on this place when he left. Looking upon the ground, that actually got him thinking… How did everyone react to him leaving?

He had just left one night and never came back, with only the Master to act as his messenger, so how must that affected those he knew? Did they think that it was because of them that he left? Or that he was too good for them? Did they cry for him or be angry at him…? Or his worst fear, did they celebrate his departure? He knew that he was a nuisance to the Guild, that he racked up more payments and fines or the place then any of Wizard so there was always that bit of worry in the back of his mind. However, just as quick as that free thought had sprung free, his mind burned it to cinders; this was Fairy Tail, no matter who left no-one looked down upon their failures, just their successions, take Laxus for example.

Laughing at his own brief stupidity, his onyx gaze returned to the hill once more. This was it, the moment where he would be back in Magnolia. Yes, it was only for few days and he knew that it was still going to be some time before he got back here permanently but it would be enough for him; just knowing how everyone was doing would be enough, seeing them strong and safe would be enough. Taking a few steps forward, he prepared to traverse the steep slope before-

"These flowers truly are beautiful; don't you agree Master?"

Twisting on his heels, the Slayer couldn't help but let another bright smile pass through his features. Before him stood Sayla, the Goddess of the Chill Moon having agreed to his request of accompanying him on his trip. Right now she was bending over to pick up a petty white flower with red markings scaring the edges of the petals as the centre shone a deep midnight black. And she was right.

"Yep, it really is."

However, to be honest, he wasn't really looking at the flower. Hell, he'd seen it so much growing up that he pretty much knew everything about it… After Erza or Lisanna had educated him on it after he forgot it for umpteenth time.

No, instead he was taking in the Demon that currently resided before him. Bathed in Magnolia light and surrounded by nature and things that starkly contrasted her dark and almost sadistic view on the world, Natsu could say that he was struggling to find a more beautiful sight within his recent memory; the way the purple tresses of her hair curved down her back in waves as thin trails of light trickled through gaps in her hair and illuminated her already glowing skin. And her face looked so peaceful right now. Usually, her face held a look of seduction or a scowl which Natsu had pretty much gotten completely used to at this point, but now her eyes were calmly closed and a slight, soft smile had made itself smitten with her plump lips. Due to being out in public, she had hidden her horns away using magic and while Natsu would say that he preferred her with the curling golden rings, their removal had allowed him to observe the sharp yet calming face that always seemed hidden behind a wall of ice or anger.

This didn't even go into her outfit; as a result of their public outing, Natsu had simply flipped his hood up over his head and bound his wrappings around his arm even harder as this was quite the common occurrence in a magic orientated town such as Magnolia but Sayla had barely changed at all, deciding to keep her kimono but change up the style. Now, it was a deep cherry red and held many excellent patterns of a darker scarlet along the back and sides which hugged her body while still showing off her femininity and charm. A good combination in Natsu's eyes.

Exhaling softly, Sayla soon bounced back up to a straight forward position as the breeze fluttered through her hair and her eyes blossomed open. Quirking an eyebrow, Natsu looked upon her slight smile and half-lolled eyes with a curious expression which caused the girl herself to look back at him with an equally confused look.

"What? Did I get any flower petals on my face?"

The pink haired Slayer chuckled.

"Nah, it's not that. I'm just sort of wondering how a Demon fits so well into… Well, all of this nature-y shit and not in some dark depressing castle, laughing away while they torture their victims…"

Positioning his hand under his chin, he made a faux look of utter confusion as he pretended to wrack his brain for a reason to his preposterous question. Once again, Sayla knew just what to respond with.

"Well maybe it's because I'm just that beautiful; plus, my recent play thing has sadly passed so I need to look for a new one before any more 'playing' can happen, right ~Master~?"

Sauntering towards him, the purple-haired seductress gave the man a coy and sultry smile that completely contrasted the beaming smile that her face held several moments ago. Based on the reaction she received from the man before her, his face flushed while he decided that the floor had become of great interest, her brief conquest had succeeded. However, she was a Demon and it was her nature to push that little bit harder. Finally making it to her Guild Master, she put on another droopy eyed grin as she pushed her body into the front of his with her chest cushioning his lower pectorals due to the difference in height; that didn't really matter to Natsu though as even the slight idea of Sayla's endowments had the effect of turning his face scarlet so he was still stuck trapped between… Well a hill and a soft pillow of-

"U-Um, you know you don't have to call me that right Sayla?"

She didn't relent.

"But I do it out of respect for you ~ _Maaaster_ ~."

She was close to his face now, their breaths mingling and intertwining as the Demons nose was flittering near his own, a small bounce in her strife as she tried to remain still on her tip-toes. And she was also rolling her tongue… Great.

"Even so, you don't have to call me it; Hell, I don't even like it when you call me it at the Guild."

Somehow, a semblance of confidence has snuck its way back into his tone.

"Oh, come on you know you love it."

"Huh?"

"You know what I'm talking about, don't you?"

And as soon as it had entered his mind, that confidence had dissipated.

"W-What are you talking about? "

"You think it's sexy when I say it, don't you? You love hearing me say your name, to be under you, to be- "

Deciding that he would probably pass out and/or die if this continued, Natsu roughly pulled away from Sayla's grasp in a childish manner before stuffing his fingers in his ears which earned himself a strange, confused but amused look from Sayla.

"No."

Still, she continued.

"~ _Master_ ~."

"No."

"~ _Maaaaster_ ~."

"N-No Sayla."

"~ _Maaaaaaaaaaster_ ~."

Spinning on his heels, the childish pink haired man began to stomp his way up the hill all the while shouting and cursing the woman's existence while she tittered and giggled all to herself. Ever since Natsu had come to the Guild, the Goddess of the Chilled Moon had found that he had had a great effect on everyone at Tartaros; the boys were far more obedient and understanding while still keeping what little charm they possessed and Kyoka and Lamy had found someone that had begun to test and push them to their limit while happily rewarding and looking after them and their endeavours and even Mard Geer himself had found someone that he could build a foundation upon, someone to look up to and learn from.

Crouching down, she picked up the pretty multicoloured flower that she had been gazing at earlier before scrunching the stem to a sharp and steady point and placing the ornament behind her ear. Satisfied with her work, she began to casually wander up to meet her Master, his cries having ceased during the few moments that she had to compose herself. Although, as she wandering she began to think back on how Natsu himself had changed her a person, how he had slowly opened her shell and looked at what was inside; yes, he was childish and arrogant sometimes but he had clearly matured due to his time at the Guild. As for Sayla herself, she found that his free spirit and his determination had managed to light a fire under her decrepit and distraught personality, fleeting feelings she had revolving around torture and death because she thought that it was the only few strains of feeling she was allowed as a Demon… But then there was Natsu. He had managed to make her open up, becoming slowly more and more playful and free, able to think of her own inhabitation instead of the thoughts of her suicidal creator, while still keeping her darker tendencies; he had allowed to keep all of what she was while learning new things without sacrificing her previous life.

In fact, the more Sayla thought about it, the more she realised how he truly had done this to them all; he had lead them to new opportunities, tales of lands far off that he had visited which always made them stand wide-eyed as he told them, stories of his friends which made them all saddened and jealous at the thought of their Master having other friends which he hadn't seen in so long, truths about the hardships he had faced with the scars and scratches to prove it. Not only had he made them open up to themselves, but he had also opened up to them about himself.

Thinking back to those times, Sayla couldn't help but let a sad smile adorn her pretty features as she thought about how much of a strain the world had had on Natsu, how the toll for his quest was heavy and how the cuts of liberty ran deep. On several occasions, the Demon would find him pacing or fidgeting just out of reach but she would always hear him muttering about certain people, how 'Wendy' must be doing without him to train her, how he had abandoned a girl named 'Lisanna' just after she had come back or wondering if 'Erza' or 'Mira' were going to kill him when he got back just to name a few. Then sometimes, it all got too much him; she would find him behind his door, his deks, even behind one of the chambers at the Core and she could hear him crying, cursing himself for leaving everyone and how he would never get strong enough… And every time, without fail, she would comfort him but not after he had tried to deny her, saying that he was completely fine and he was just tired or some other bullshit to try and get her off his back; It never worked. So, they would sit there, with her pink haired Master crying into her shoulder, her hair, her chest, it didn't really matter where but all she knew was that this person had made her feel comfortable enough to offer him comfort through her presence and not through shitty fake feelings or pleasures of the flesh like she had read up on from her multitude of books.

He had, somehow, almost magically, made a Demon feel… love.

Well, it's what she assumed was love. It was a strong feeling of care and Sayla and the other Demons only had the basis of their love for Zeref to go off (and even that had been false and twisted) so she really didn't know what it was. However, as she neared the top, she placed a hand over her heart and breathed out shakily, she recalled when she had once asked the Demon Master about the feeling of love and how it felt to be loved. At first, he had been flustered and stutter-y with very little sense of what was going on – But after a while, he walked up to her, took her tiny hands into his larger ones and joined his onyx gaze onto her violet sight, and spoke softly.

" _Hehe, love is… Well… Love is when you feel like you want to spend eternity with a person, you know? When you want to just, hold them and never let go. But it's also when you feel like you belong with someone, when you feel like they, I dunno, make you feel alive and happy with yourself. Or when your soul and heart if constantly on fire… B-But not a bad fire! No, it's a very nice fire that just makes you feel warm. And even then, there's still so much past that to say what love is, just need to make those feelings your own, okay?"_

Sayla would never forget the look her gave her that day, with his eyes so full of fire and warmth that they lit up the whole room. That's when she first started to feel 'love' and had asked Natsu many more questions about the topic as time went on and, to his credit, he had actually answered most of them with a good level of sophistication and meaning. To be honest, maybe it wasn't love but… But the Demon knew that she cared for the pink haired idiot over much else in the world to the point where he held significance over even Zeref at this point.

Shaking those thoughts out of her head for the time being, the Demon tittered and chuckled lightly as she reached the top of the hill, the light of Magnolia's sky hitting her in an array of colour which bathed her. She did have to admit, though, the town before her looked very quaint and quite peaceful and not at all like the place which her Master had described his home as; in his tales, it seemed so chaotic and out of control at almost all times with fights and brawls as common as ordering a drink. Still… It truly did look beautiful.

Hearing a deep sigh to her side, Sayla cocked her head to side and could only lightly chuckle at the man before her, how he was looking out upon the land before her with such wonderment and joy in his eyes, how they seemed to explode with nostalgia and light up with the fires of his memory. Natsu was smiling as well, his usual smirk being replaced by a kind and heart-warming smile that showcased how much he really had missed this place.

"It looks exactly the same…"

He muttered, still trapped in his wonderment; he was actually back, here, in the town of Fairy Tail. Upon that thought, he found his eyes trailing across the buildings and roofs until he managed to have his onyx gaze land onto the front doors of the Fairy Tail Guild, with its proud spires of concrete and the shiny golden bell and vibrant orange tag and-

"Natsu?"

Twisting his head, he locked eyes with his companion, the purple haired woman looking at him with a mixture of confusion and amusement in her eyes as she gazed at him. For a few seconds, Natsu just stood still, taking her in before he heard her huff and wander over to him. Finally reaching the pink haired man, she threw her arms over his neck and held it there for a few seconds, their eyes seemingly eternally conjoined.

"Is that Fairy Tail?"

Nodding her head towards the direction where the Guild stood, Natsu just nodded. Being this close, Sayla once again saw the longing and sadness in his eyes but also the pride and joy that seemed to be slowly eating away at all those negative thoughts. Smiling, she stood up on her tip-toes to reach back around his back before taking a-hold of his hood and pulling it over his face until all she could see were the beginning on his pink locks and his onyx eyes. Stepping back, she wrapped Natsu's arm around her own and buried it deep within her bust as she motioned to Magnolia.

"Let us not waste any time then."

At first Natsu seemed frozen once more, a thin veil of red dust covering his face before he let out a harsh chuckle at her actions. How could he forget the one thing that would probably keep him hidden? Once again, Sayla was saving his ass. Giving her a simple nod, the two began to embark on their journey to Fairy Tail.

After a few minutes of walking, the pair made it down to the streets of Magnolia, with life seemingly more alive than a few minutes ago. Now, stalls and shops were open and the streets were packed with people, most of which were people Natsu recognised despite not knowing them personally. Noise seemed to creepy from every area of the town, stalking and absorbing the two Etherious in waves and waves of sound that ranged from the screaming and playing of children, to the muttering of two woman about one of their husbands, to the elderly couple running a stall that were conversing with a customer. It all seemed so… Normal, natural, like order was completely restored here. To Sayla, it seemed off and strange after being exposed to the likes of Tartaros for her entire life but Natsu… Natsu just felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia looming over him, how it seemed to control his body like a puppet.

However, this nostalgia didn't help calm his nerves or his ever-rising annoyance. The purple haired woman was still attached to his arm (not that he minded) and was looking around at the town like an excited child while still managing to stay relatively calm, yet Natsu could make out several difficulties as they walked. The two were posing as a couple, or that's what Natsu assumed because he thought that she would have let go by now if that was not the case, but the pink haired man could still feel the jealous and lustful stares of several men as they walked down the street; all of it aimed at Sayla. Every so often, he could face them and glare (which he assumed they couldn't even see but it was more for Natsu himself, to comfort him) and they would turn away after being caught.

Glancing down from his hooded façade, he couldn't help but gulp. He could definitely see why people were staring; as previously thought upon, the Slayer noted the tight-fitting kimono and how it hugged all of her curves and edges tight, becoming slightly unbound around the bust area which would cause mass hysteria if prominently exposed to people, he had no doubt. Add the rich red colour that drew everyone's attention and you had a perfect package for the perverted folk of this town… Or any red-blooded male to be honest.

Shaking his head, Natsu just let the sounds of the world carry him off to some distant land as the two continued to wander.

"Natsu, how long did you live here before you left?"

Quirking a hidden eyebrow at the woman, the man saw how her purple orbs were bearing into his very soul, scavenging for an answer to a seemingly inconsequential question.

"Um well…. I got here when I was like, 9? So about 8 or so years, I guess."

She gave a small hum in acceptance as they continued to walk. In her head, Sayla began to think about all of the memories that he must have acquired from this place, all of the people he must have met and be-friended. For some reason, that paired with the names that he had been spilling out on those few occasions where she had to help him, began to make her feel anxious and somewhat envious… For some reason. Breaking her reasoning down due to nerves, Sayla didn't think too much on it after that.

Then, they were there.

Right before them was the Fairy Tail Guild. Taking in a harsh breath of air, Natsu couldn't help but feel the sweat that was practically dripping down his forehead (before promptly evaporating after a few mere seconds of existing). He was back… Back to see his friends. In the back of his mind, there was this nagging and persistent voice that just continued to call out to him, telling him to abandon his quest and to just kick open those doors like he had done so many times before; in fact, he was subconsciously curling his toes and fingers in preparation for such an entrance. However, that would not be the case. Today, he would merely be an observer that would see how far they had gone and just to really check up on them, 'Remember what he was fighting for' according to Sayla.

Turning to Sayla, he looked her dead in the eye with such intensity and passion that it was practically radiating off of him. Rubbing his hands together, he spoke.

"You remember the spell, right?"

"Of course, Natsu. Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you?"

Smiling at her endurance and her loyalty, Natsu shook his head.

"Nah, I don't really think you want to see me weep and be sad all day."

And once again, Sayla couldn't help but quip.

"On the contrary, I think that you look quite cute when you cry."

Snapping his head up, the pink haired Slayer held a faux look of irritation at the smirk that adorned the Demon's lips; Hell, it reminded him a lot of Mira… And how… She said…. The same thing.

Slowly, his eyes trailed back to doors. Behind those two flimsy, flammable, easily destructible doors sat practically all of his friends and… To be honest, he didn't really know how to process it. Running his free hand through his hair, he simply turned to Sayla once more.

"Very funny. But what will you actually be doing while I'm here?"

"Hm… I actually don't know. Tell me, are there any poor unfortunate souls in this town that you wish to feel the wrath of Tartaros?"

The fact that she said that with a straight face made the man crack up once again. Somehow, this woman had a dark sense of humour which just tickled him.

"Nah not today. Anyway, I recall their being some pretty nice shops around town so maybe you could do some shopping."

"Perhaps. Maybe I'll explore the woods for a short while."

"Yea, they are kinda fun to explore. Just watch out for the dumb fucking apes if you go in there; they can be really damn annoying."

Giggling at his childish description of these primitive creatures, Sayla took in one last breath before she began whispering a chant. Then, Natsu began to feel lighter and more meta-physical then he had ever felt before, becoming more like a ghostly presence then an actual living creature. Glancing down, he noticed his body becoming briefly transparent before returning to a muted colour of his normal clothing; a magic smothering spell, meant to hide his presence and his appearance somewhat from others so that wouldn't detect him which he had original got Sayla to learn for Alverez but, after the woman herself informed him on the way here, soon decided that it would be a good way to peek in on his Guild Mates without them knowing he was actually there.

Smirking, the pink haired man was about to congratulate his companion but he was interrupted when he felt a small movement in front of him and a soft, but plump feeling on his cheek. Standing wide eyed and open mouthed as he soon discovered what had hit him; Sayla's lips. Before he could even comprehend what was going on, the Demon had pulled away with a sweet smile on her lips and was patting his just-kissed cheek with her hand.

"Don't forget about me, okay ~Master~?"

He was just frozen. W-Why had she just done that? However, just like before, she was leaving when he was about to respond. With a significant sway in her hips as she sauntered away, she gave one final message.

"Meet me outside the town at the sign around sunrise tomorrow, I can tell you'll be a while, _~Master~_."

And then she was gone.

For a few moments, Natsu was still, quiet as he let the warmth inside him bubble up and flow around his body, emotions and feelings becoming clearer and clearer to him as time went on. However, he could think about all that later because now… Now he had something to do. Turning to the Guild, the Slayer began to think about where he could enter from without being noticed (while he had the spell on, he could still be faintly seen so being in an area away from people was preferable).

Smirking, the man ran up to the stone walls of the Guild, crashed his foot into the side before using the flames at his feet to propel himself up and towards the sky. After repeating this process a few times, the hooded Slayer found himself atop of the spire that shadowed the Fairy Tail Guild. Slinking down until he was seated on the very lip of the tower, he just let the view of Magnolia and the faint noise of those below to absorb him in a nostalgic wave that just completely swallowed him in its warmth. However, he could reminisce in a minute; he needed to see everyone first.

Swinging himself under the spire, he rolled and collapsed underneath the massive golden bell before roughly landing on a set of wooden planks that lightly creaked under Natsu's weight. Wincing at the noise he made, the pink haired looked around to find that he must be just above the second floor, on the part separating it from the Old Man's office. Creeping forward, he couldn't help the smile that was creeping up across his face as the noises of joy and liberty swam through the air to meet his ears. Subconsciously, he noticed himself getting faster and faster until he made it to the edge of the wood and-

Natsu felt his whole work explode.

T-They were all here.

Harshly chuckling at their presence, he couldn't help but hear the start of a sob that had begun to emerge, bubbling up from the deepest part of his soul. As much as he tried to grit his teeth and steel his gaze, he just couldn't; it had been 3 years since he had even seen a picture of the people in his Guild, never-mind the real things. With shaky steps and a calculated look on his blurry face, he walked near enough to the edge of the wood that he was able to sit and still be hidden from view of the first floor. Leaning down, he completely felt null to the hard floor or how it was rough to touch, instead switching it out for soaring pride and joy that had made its way into his heart as he gazed upon his family once more.

At once, it was all too much to handle but he would manage. Quietly, he leant back amongst the rafters and pieces of wood as he gazed upon his friends, his family.

And for hours he watched… He just watched and enjoyed life.

* * *

The sound of lingering sighs hung low in the air.

Every few seconds, Natsu would release them and watch with some sort of confusing satisfaction as they floated away, surrounded by the light fog that escaped his throat. Each one was different as they shot off in all directions and dissipated just as quick, making the pink haired man chuckle and continue to see the different variations. Yes, it could be perceived as being quite childish but to Natsu is was quite nostalgic; each breath conjured up ideas and memories that he had honestly forgotten about in his time away from Magnolia, each step away from the town causing his memory to become obscured by a blanket of remembrance that kept them trapped, unable to be tainted by the dark actions he was about to commit. However, he noted that the closer he got to the town, the closer he got to the Guild, the higher that blanket began to lift, showcasing his past to him once again as to remind him of what he was giving up by being away… What he could get back if he just went down there and talked to them.

Letting out one last long baited breath, Natsu's back rolled back as his lazily began to stare up at the sky. It had been a while since day light passed, crossing over into the horizon as the world that was set aflame promptly got put out by the cold embrace of night. Littering the sheet of twilight, hundreds of bright flashes and dull spots stood in harmony as the world rolled by in the background. It all became even clearer with the lack of clouds, allowing this river of onyx to shine even brighter and the stones that sat within it to glow with an unexpected amount of darkness.

To be honest, the pink haired man couldn't really tell why he was focusing so much on these things that he had only really looked upon in passing previously; maybe it was the dread and fear that was looming over him from the idea of the coming war, maybe it was the excitement and sense of revitalisation that had arisen from seeing his friends once more… maybe it was the anxiety and the pressure he would feel at having to leave once more. All of these thoughts and ideas existed within his subconscious in some capacity, some were just more forward then others as the inescapable feelings drowned his head in ideologies.

All of this may have been contributing to the fact that he wasn't exactly thinking too much about what he was actually doing. As his mind twirled and danced around the subjects polluting his freedom, his feet were quietly commanding him through the deserted night-time streets of Magnolia. The Guild had closed up a few hours ago and ever since, Natsu had just been contemplating what he was going to do next as he watched the droves of Guildmates leave in bundles while he sat on the roof. Now? He was visiting somebody.

Multiple somebodies.

After seeing all of his friends, all of his loved ones, again he couldn't stand being outside, locked away from their presence. He may not have been able to see them, to talk to them, to interact with but he just couldn't help the burning fire that had begun to rise higher and higher from seeing them; Natsu needed to let them know that he was here. For a while he sat up atop Fairy Tail pondering of how to stage this master plan. First was to burn his name into the Guild doors with a cheeky message, get back to his roots that he had begun to slowly forget since leaving but then he remembered how much Gramps hated destruction to the Hall, and how much he would probably just yell at him when he finally got back.

" _Why'd you have to leave such a mark, you stupid brat! How dare you leave a burn on my wall!_ "

A shrill imitation of Makarov's voice shot through the air.

The second option on that list was to send some sort of note… Then he promptly remembered that he hadn't written a thing in the last 3 years (before that he was forced to write by Erza so he wouldn't 'fall behind'… It hurt him that she was _so_ right) so it would look more like chicken scribble then any sort of note. A pointless note that everyone in Fairy Tail would probably assume as some sort of threat rather than anything productive… Well, that's what he would see it as anyway.

Then he came to this decision; visit the houses and homes of those that he cared about most and leave something somewhere that they would see and recognize as his. Quietly, he finished his walk down the cobbled and silent streets, the vague twilight that hung above him staring down at the Slayer's every action. If he was honest with himself, he could probably walk to his destination based on the amount of rocks on the floor and how many were at each junction he had walked he that many times as a kid; he knew where every corner was that he would have to turn, where even overturned piece of rubble lay strewn on the path, where that one bit of pavement poked up just that little bit and made him trip over every time, every single time, without fail.

Natsu knew his way to the Staruss' house by heart.

Standing before their simple house in the commercial district of Magnolia, Natsu could easily recall the hundreds of times he had visited here as a kid, when he was young and his only friend seemed to be that lovely little girl with the white hair and the pretty blue eyes. From the first time he saw her, he couldn't really comprehend the idea of her wanting to be his friend, the very concept being foreign to him due to the experience he had received primarily from Erza and her own sister, but when she had approached him she had allowed him to shed whatever panicky and angry outer layer of scales he had and be himself... the little emotional fireball that he was. Smiling to himself, the man quickly hopped the white fence, not quite picket but close enough, and continued on into the back garden.

Due to him coming her a lot for Lisanna and his obvious distaste for Mira in his youth, him and the younger Staruss sibling came up with a strategy of him coming to her room without coming across 'the Demon of Fairy Tail'. Relishing in the rich smell of the short grass and minimal amount of urbanisation in their back garden, Natsu began to smirk and look over at the drainage pipe, marked and scratched by years of overuse and the damage caused by his own nails and teeth. It led nearby her window so he could sneak in and out as much as he pleased… Although, Mira tended to catch him cause of how much LIsanna used to laugh and giggle, and it ended up with him unable to even get into her room before she would be standing at her little sister's window, eyes red with fury as she chucked him out and far into the streets… Fun times, happier times.

Clicking his fingers lightly a few times, Natsu let his body become engulfed in fire and he leapt at the wall, traversing up it while using the decrepit pipe as leverage until he managed to reach her window. For one, he was very glad that Lisanna had the decency to keep the window open because he would be stuck in a very sorry situation if she had it closed, but two he noted that the gap was much, _much_ , smaller then he remembered it.

Ducking in while making as little noise as possible, the pink haired man took him time getting up as what little lessons in stealth he received with Happy kicked in. What he saw didn't surprise it. The entire room was exactly as he remembered it; pink and blue walls and carpet with different wardrobes and draws complimenting them completely. He laughed lightly when he remembered the time when he had asked, in blissful innocence, why pink and blue. She had simply responded, _'Your hair is pink and my eyes are blue. What other colours would I choose?'_ He also remembered that he couldn't handle the embarrassment and so almost fainted right then and there.

He swept his eyes over the room once again, spotting a few posters of generic singers or bands or stupid, douche famous people that he couldn't quite understand, a couple of pieces of memorabilia from Fairy Tail and some knick-knacks before he felt his body freeze up.

There she was… Just lying there.

Sleeping in her bed, was the petite form of Lisanna Strauss.

Natsu couldn't tell what made him seize up more; the idea that he was this close to her after this long apart… or how beautiful she had become. He had seen her early, moving around, giving out orders to people, but now she looked so peaceful and so… so fucking beautiful. Involuntarily, he took a step forward towards her bed. Spread out against the pillows, her silky-smooth locks flowed out like miniature waterfalls of white that seemed to entrance and rapture his mind all over again. It had grown somewhat over the years, but she had kept it short and it still framed her pale skin perfectly.

The duvet was tightly wrapped around her form but from where Natsu was standing she still seemed so… small, so tiny and fragile that she would break if he touched her the wrong way. For years, he knew that was the wrong way to look at her, that she could probably kick his ass in a thousand different ways but he couldn't help it… It was almost like something engraved into his mind that… That…

The husband must protect the wife.

Growling lightly at the thought of not being around for 3 years tore his heart apart, he honestly had the inside of his mind imploding, screaming at him to just fucking come back, come back to protect and cherish her and everyone else again… Come back to feel loved by them again. At the same time, he could feel his breath becoming laboured, becoming heavier and his fingers were twitching while his arm began to rise and reach towards the sleeping beauty. Maybe he could just give in. He was strong enough now… Right?

No.

Silencing the riot in his head and clamping a deathly tight grip around his arm as to not allow it to act out, he reminded himself of everything. He was still too weak, still not strong enough to confidently come back with his head held high. Hell, he still hadn't figured this whole thing with Alverez and Tartaros out first, all of this bullshit revolving around Zeref and what he wanted with him now, all of this crap with him being E.N.D. He couldn't come back now, not when people were depending on him and his leadership to bring them to end of a coming war.

Biting hard on his tongue, Natsu began to try and will away all of these feelings that began to well up, try and will away this nature of his… Trying to stop breaking down and becoming her _Little Fireball_ once again because he wasn't sure that he would be able to leave if he started. But he always would be her Little Fireball… Always. She helped him through the toughest times, the darkest times of his life and when he thought she died, he felt a piece of him die. And when she came back… He was terrified of losing her again, that she had become fragile again and that this time, she would literally break if he did anything so he stayed back, stuck to the side-lines and wallowed in pain. Suddenly, he felt compelled and overwhelmed with emotion.

Walking over to Lisanna's bedside, Natsu tried to hush his hundred-miles an hour heart so that she couldn't hear before crouching down beside her. Only now did he notice one pale hand peeking out from the covers. It didn't take long before he took it in his own, immediately feeling the cold and the coolness which was resonating from it. For a few seconds, there was nothing. Then, there was nothing Natsu could do to help the next few words that fell out of his throat; a nursery rhyme Lisanna had come up with to help him feel a part of the world… To make him know how she felt about him.

" _You are my Little Fireball,_

 _And I know that you will never go out._

 _You will keep me warm and bright,_

 _When all the other lights die down."_

Pausing for a few seconds, he turned his attention back towards Lisanna's face, her beautiful sleeping face and he couldn't help but marvel at it. Then he began to lean closer.

" _You are my Little Fireball,_

 _And I know you will always come back,_

 _No matter how wet or how dry,_

 _You will not let me fall to the dark."_

It was impulsive, perhaps a little stupid… But he was always stupid around her, always dumb and stupid at how amazing and incredible she was. Yes, Natsu could see her faults; how her innocence and positive outlook on everything in life could be seen as weak, that she should understand that sometimes action was necessary… But they just made her even more special in his eyes. He was hovering over her head now, staring right at her closed eyes.

" _You are my Little Fireball,_

 _And I know I will forever crave your warmth,_

 _For it keeps me safe and happy,_

 _When all else is falling apart."_

He couldn't help himself. Leaning down, Natsu felt an instinctive rush of adrenaline as his lips rested against Lisanna's forehead in a kiss that he hoped pushed off all of his passion and care for her in a few sweet instances.

"I am your Little Fireball,

And I will always love you."

It was low, almost a whisper but he heard it echoing throughout the quite room. In some-ways, he hoped that she was still asleep, resting peacefully while he poured his heart out so that he wouldn't break down even further at the thought of her pain… But other parts of him screamed in agony at the idea that she wouldn't be able to hear this, hear his love for her and how he was going to come back… How it pained him to be apart from her and the others for so long… How he longed for her eyes to spring open and see him.

They did not.

Sighing, Natsu pulled back and began to quietly walk towards the door. He had made his peace with Lisanna for now, not all of it but enough of it. Couldn't stop the few streams of tears that wordlessly dripped and fell down his stunned face. However, Lisanna was not the only Strauss that he had come here to see tonight.

Quickly escaping through the door to his friend's room, Natsu found himself on the landing of the white-haired family. From the minimal time, he had spent as a child here (when he wasn't just sneaking into Lisanna's room that is) he remembered that the Strauss house was actually pretty small for 3 people, with only 2 bedrooms that existed on the top floor while a smaller study existed below on the first floor… From memory, he remembered that Elfman had given the top floor to his sisters so that he could be more the bigger man and look after his sisters. A nice idea… Not that Natsu really had any idea of how that felt.

However, that also meant that he would have no difficulties finding Mira's room. Not that it would have been hard anyway; she had painted her door black.

Shuffling forwards, he knew that he would have to be a bit more careful in Mirajane's room, that he knew she wasn't as heavy a sleeper as her sister was so no shenanigans like what he did with the song here, just make sure she was alright and get out. Sucking in a breath, Natsu sighed. Of course, he was going to break his own promise eventually, of course he was… This was the Strauss family after all, most famous for taming the Dragon of Fairy Tail.

Swiftly turning the handle on the door and lightly pushing it forward, the Slayer had to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness. After coming from a room like Lisanna's, bathed in colour and care even in the light of darkness, Mira's seemed very unorthodox to say the least. Natsu could only recall being here once, when he was tired and accidently wandered into her room and not Lisanna's and he also remembers getting the shit kicked out of him right after, but he was experiencing the same things back then as he was now.

Even though the white-haired bar maiden had switched up her style after her sister had gone to Edolas, she couldn't let go of that part of herself. So, her room, her sacred spot that was meant for just her, was littered in darkness and leather, lots and lots of leather, and punk accessories that he hadn't seen on her figure in literal years. However, they would always be a part of her and he knew it – Didn't mean he couldn't be creeped out by them though. In the gaze of the moon the room was sort of hard to see but from memory, everything was either a dark purple or black which actually made it relatively easy to find the person he was looking for.

Much like with Lisanna, when Natsu laid his eyes upon Mirajane he lost all feeling in his body, too numb with emotion to even compute.

She, too, was lying in her bed, but she appeared to be having a much harder time then her sister as the duvet and sheets were roughly tossed around her body, drowning the lower half of her in softness while her torso lay exposed to the nightly air; fortunately, he was saved much embarrassment by the addition of a nightgown… Not that it really helped much though. It was her face though that captured him again, the fact that her hair was still almost the exact same but had that little something to just make it stand out to him… Maybe it was just that he hadn't seen anything so striking in the years he had been away, so to see a colour like it twice in a matter of minutes had given him sensory overload. Maybe it was the nostalgia. Maybe it was because she looked so fucking beautiful.

Ironically, Natsu thought that the best part of both girls were their eyes. They were both so rich and bright with colour and yet so different; Lisanna's eyes held a sense of warmth and familiarity that spread a wild fire throughout his whole body in blissful innocence while Mira's held passion and desire with the drive to win buried deep below their crashing waves. Both unique, both different, but both bought about the same feeling of helplessness within him. And he wouldn't be able to see them today, not until he came back permanently even, but that was the price he would have to pay.

Even past that though, Mira had truly blossomed into a gorgeous individual. Even as she slept, her cheeks were stained a light pink and her lashes seemed to flicker and flutter as she played softly with free pieces of white hair, lips twitching and clashing against one another. Against the backdrop of the room, she appeared so distinct, so free and so unshackled in an ocean of darkness and dark thoughts. So… helpless and so powerful all at the same time.

Walking closer to her bedside, Natsu couldn't help but reminisce on the only other time he had seen her like this; the few months after Lisanna had 'died'.

After the announcement, the pink haired man had become completely detached and only ever came into the Guild to get jobs or eat before leaving just as depressed as he came in. Most of the time, he was alone on the hill where he and Lisanna had built Happy's hut and he would just sit there and cry. Cry out for the friend that had been taken from him, cry out for how weak and worthless he was, cry out for how cruel and harsh the world was to pluck such a sweet and pure girl from them to die… How it should have been him taking the hit, not her. He did this for about a month in complete isolation and was in such a deep state that even his enhanced senses were thrown off. How did he know? Well, he couldn't even hear or smell it that day when Mirajane had followed him up to the hill.

One day, still locked in his prison of regret and anger, he stumbled up the hill in the pitch black of the early morning to just mourn the loss of his friend when he was stopped dead in his tracks by a head of white hair at the top of the hill and the sound of crying. He would not lie, for a split second Natsu wished and prayed and hoped that the person standing before that grave, that hut, was Lisanna… It wasn't.

It was Mira.

For a short while, he remembered sitting there, watching as she grieved and he finally understood how he had looked for months. There was one line she had yelled at the skies that finally made him snap and that he would remember for the rest of his life. _'It should have been me.'_ Natsu would happily blame himself for this mess, happily take all of the pain and the agony if it meant that she would come back but to hear Mira say it, to go through the mere idea of a Fairy Tail without Mirajane crushed his soul. The second she spouted it, he had bolted out of the bushes and embraced her in a tight, crushing hug. Later she would tell him that it hurt a little bit, that he was squeezing too tight… But she would also tell him that she didn't mind and that it helped her. And there they stood for hours, bathing in each other's misery as the skies crashed down around them alongside their walls.

After that, they had gone back to the Guild in near total silence. Then they drank. Natsu was still underaged but damn that to Hell, he needed to grieve. For what felt like a life time, the two of them just unloaded whatever pain and sorrow they felt scratching at their souls on each other, using the alcohol as a conduit. Every time they bought up something new, a worry or a memory, it was almost like a whole new bottle would be opened every time. By the time they had passed out, the two of them had almost completely emptied the bar. That day was the day he truly connected with Mira.

From then on, whenever either of them would feel alone or trapped in the depths, they would just stay at the Guild and talk over a bottle of whiskey. It may not have been the best solution, but for two highly unstable and powerful mages, it was a much more peaceful solution then fighting. It was those nights that bonded him and Mira and made him begin to feel her pain, feel her sorrow… And it was also what made him fall for her.

Just that mere idea hurt Natsu's heart, that he held something for both sisters deep down in his body but he couldn't help it; the mere fact that he was a Dragon Slayer already predicted that he was destined to have a mate, but the breaking and fracturing of his soul from taking on so many different Slayer Magics alongside the fact that Igneel was some sort of Dragon King caused his heart to long for so many different individuals that it hurt to just think about how he could tell them. That was for a different time though… Today was about remembrance.

Leaning down, he lightly took a hold of Mira's exposed shoulder and almost instantly saw her body and face stop thrashing and contorting, becoming softer and more familiar. That sweetness, that innocence on her face was too piercing and he felt he head moving before he could even comprehend what was going on. Placing a chaste kiss atop her forehead, Natsu sighed against her pale skin before quickly pulling away to look her face head on. Soon… He would be home soon.

Spinning on his heels, he quietly made his way to the door. However, he seized up as a low voice, almost breathless flittered through the air.

"Hmm… Nat- *yawn* -su?"

Gulping harshly, he could tell from her voice that she was still tired so maybe she would believe that this was a dream. She didn't sound too shocked so perhaps… Perhaps this had happened before? The mere thought of it hurt and pained too much to comprehend. Gritting his teeth, Natsu stealthily manoeuvred around the door as quickly and as quietly as he could. However, through the tiny crack in the door, he saw a sliver of something that made him freeze; her eyes. She had cracked one open in a sleepy stupor as to see what was going on but it was enough for him to see and… They were just as beautiful as he remembered; a rich cerulean that shone like the brightest sea, waves overlapping in joyous harmony that seemed to freeze over his very soul. He was captivated again, trapped by her beauty but he… He just couldn't stand here.

Biting his tongue, Natsu rushed away from the door and quickly ducked back into Lisanna's room. Sparing the younger sibling one last glance, he bolted out of the window and promptly began to sprint away from the Strauss household, his steps heavy as the pain from his heart began to leak to his feet.

This was only the first house too… Fuck.

For the next few hours, Natsu went around visiting all of the houses that he knew belonged to his friends, looking over them to make sure they were okay and to just reassure himself that these were the people he was fighting to protect. After the Strauss' he went to Alzacks's house (he had recently learned that Bisca had moved in with him and they even had a kid… The kind of stuff that happens when you leave) to make sure they were doing okay only to come across their kid.

Her room was simple, cowboy themed like her parents with a few horse toys and plushies in her cot while a few toy guns sat off in the distance. From his expert knowledge of children, she appeared about a year old and was named-

"Asuka. A nice name."

Turning his head down, Natsu was surprised to see the child awake. She wasn't making any noise, though, just staring up at him through a small cowboy hat that sat atop a head of short black hair. In fact, it was almost like she was studying him, analysing his movements with her big beady eyes that began to drill deep into his soul the longer he looked at them. Then, her tiny, chubby baby fingers seemed to reach out towards him and she began to giggle.

"Pink!"

Pink? Looking up at his hair, he began to laugh along with her. Judging from the numerous amounts of pink horsies or pink plastic rifles dotted around the room, the Slayer guessed that was where she learned the word but it still perplexed him as she kept chanting the colour of his hair in a childish voice.

Natsu had never really been good with babies, in fact he had rarely ever seen one so he didn't know if this behaviour was exclusive to Asuka or if it was something universal but as she kept giggling and pointing at his hair, spouting the word pink over and over again he couldn't help but lean down and let her touch it. From her face, he assumed that she thought it was soft because her face was a strange sort of fixation, her eyes wide and mouth agape…

Then she began to tug and pull at it.

"Ouch! I'm trying to keep a low profile here Asuka, are you trying to blow it?"

Despite the fact that he knew she probably understood maybe 2 of the words he just spouted, she seemed to get the point and began to laugh along with Natsu. This was nice... But he had to keep moving. He had already checked up on Alzack and Bisca and they were out like lights so he knew they were safe; and with parents as protective as they were, he knew that Asuka was going to be alright too. Giving her one last tug at his hair, Natsu gave the baby a small smile before departing into the dark streets once again.

It was at this point, when he was walking towards Gajeel's house, that he began to question what he was doing. This wasn't too creepy… Was it? Sure, he was watching people sleep and sure he was looking at them in the privacy of their own homes but it was all to make sure they were safe and sound… Right? He sighed harshly…

"I am such a creepy… Erza is gonna kick the shit out of me when she finds out…"

Erza… That… That was something he needed to do last. Shaking his head free of those thoughts, he continued onto the Iron Dragon's house.

Natsu was very _, very_ , lucky that tonight was warm out or getting into these homes would be much harder. As he stumbled his way into Gajeel's house he was almost immediately forced to freeze at the sight of tens and tens of book mountains. The Hell? Before he left, Gajeel was like him and he could barely understand a few dumb words, never the less read properly…

Peaking around the corner of these paper mountains, he got his answer.

Sleeping side by side of the sofa were Levy and Gajeel, both surrounded by books with one between them. From this distance, it seemed pretty rudimentary, something about a location so it was probably about a job they were going on in a few days or something. What caught him off guard though, was the way Levy was cuddled into Gajeel's side while the sleeping giant kept a protective grip around the tiny bookworm. It was nice… And something he was totally gonna tease the man about in the future.

With a devious smirk sown onto his face, he promptly left.

After that was Gray's house. Despite their rivalry, the two regularly hung out with each other when they were younger and while most of it was spent fighting each other, other times they just had long existential talks about oblivion or something else arbitrary. As he neared the house though, he could tell that he wouldn't be able to enter. The lights were on and the air was cold while numerous grunts and pants were heard echoing throughout the sky. He was still awake; and training from the sounds of it.

Getting a safe distance away, he looked over to see the Ice-Make Mage making multiple weapons out of ice before throwing them like knives at a wall. Even from where he was standing, Natsu could see the improvements; the blades were sharper and most realistic with the time taken to create them had lessened significantly and even after he threw them, he had to manually destroy them before they broke showing their strength. And this was only one part of his repertoire, one part of his magic that he had fought Natsu with years ago… A part of his magic which was far stronger now. Natsu smirked as a fire spread through him at seeing his friend, his partner, his rival so strong; their next dual would be glorious.

A few times, Natsu swore he saw the man turn towards where he was and once he even called out to him asking who he was. Gray lived on the outskirts of Magnolia like him so people didn't really come here that often. Fortunately, Natsu had thrown up his hood before he was spotted and so managed to slip away unscathed. Now though… he was excited to fight Gray once more.

Then it was to a place he had honestly missed very much so; the Heartfillia household. More specifically, he missed Lucy's bed but the blonde bombshell was a nice add on. When he finally made it up to her window, the very same window that carried him through many, many wild and wondrous adventures he peered down at the blonde girls sleeping face and somehow, he felt relieved.

She was still here, still alive, still kicking… He was honestly a little worried that she'd get a little messed up with him gone, not going on jobs enough but the mere fact that she was still living her disproved that theory fast. Then the more he stared at her sleeping figure, covers wrapped tightly are her buxom figure, the more he understood how it felt to be away from a great, great friend.

He loved Lucy, he really did. They had been through so much shit together that they were basically blood-brother… blood-siblings at this point. But they both knew that this love was not romantic. The way they looked upon each other and fought together was that of two people who cared completely and absolutely for one another without the additional romance. The way he looked at the Strauss siblings was different to how he looked at Lucy; in some ways, he was more comfortable around her then them. Around them, he could help but be in awe of their excellence and so he was worried he would freeze up but with the blonde Celestial, he felt free to just be a real idiot and do whatever.

And now he just felt relieved. She was safe, she was fine…

Placing one last look at her through the glass, her kicked himself away from the window and made his way back down through Strawberry Street.

Then, after a few hours of visiting people that (while not as close to) he still cared about, he finally made it to the one place in Magnolia that he barely knew; Fairy Hills. To be honest, he had been bought here a few times when he was younger but that was half conscious and buried in Erza's armour as she took him to her room to… 'discipline' him for flaking on their spelling tests. Still, he needed to see them all, he needed to make sure he could leave again knowing that they were alright; knowing that what he was fighting for wasn't hoping against something completely hopeless.

Despite taking a very long time to find his way in, Natsu finally found an entrance in the form of Wendy's room. Earlier on in the day, he noted that the young Dragon Slayer had been the one to leave with Happy, with Carla in tow (in fact, Pantehrlily had left with Gajeel too but he must had gone upstairs cause he was nowhere to be seen at the Slayer's house… Either that or he was buried under one of those book towers) so it was a good deal coming in here. Entering in through her window paired with fire propulsion at his feet, the first thing he noticed when he got in was how… Basic and normal everything was.

Everything was painted a light baby blue while all her furniture was white in colour. It was very basic with not much around apart from a few books and some other pieces of memorabilia that Wendy had accumulated over the coming years, bits to remember jobs by or stuff like that. Apart from that, there were a few pots of eaten food lying around alongside tins of what appeared to be fish… What was left of it anyway. Chuckling, he turned to see the sleeping form of three individuals, all squashed into one bed and cuddling with the biggest of the three laying in the middle.

Walking over, he saw that the covers were lifted up really high, only allowing the upper part of the central figures head to be shown while the other two had their upper halves exposed. The first one to catch Natsu's eye was Carla, the snow-white cat looking exactly the same as she did when he left; headstrong, arrogant, carefree. But looking at her now, he could tell that she had grown up somewhat, Hell she was sharing a bed with the cat that annoyed her for so long so something good must have some from this whole thing…

Then it hit him and his eyes swept over to the other side of the bed and Natsu had to physically hold himself together so that he wouldn't break down.

Happy… Happy was right there, sleeping away like there were no problems in the world. Curled up next to the girl, his little Exceed sat peacefully and… And it broke Natsu's heart. He wished that he could always be here for him, that he didn't have to leave him behind but protecting him and everyone, protecting his family meant that he had to sacrifice his own happiness; they all needed to be safe for when he got back.

Walking closer, he would have reached out to stroke his fur but he was worried that he would get in the way and accidentally wake both him and the other person in the bed up.

Drawing his blurry eyes over to the central figure, Natsu took a deep breath as he looked upon these locks of blue. Poking out from the top of the covers, was the peaceful face of Wendy Marvel, sleeping away without a care in the world. Before he left, she seemed so small and so fragile but now she seemed stronger, more developed in her skills and power that he found himself smiling softly at her improvement.

Wendy and Natsu had always had somewhat of a close relationship, with him being able to teach her new Dragon Slayer techniques alongside Gajeel but they were also on the same team and so spent a lot of time together. If Natsu was going to pin it to a single point, it would be that it was sort of like a step-sibling relationship, with him acting as a sort of older brother to her. He would help and mentor her, be there when she needed it and he was completely okay with that… It was just a shame that she had to be without him for so long; hopefully, that dumb brick of iron had managed to train her right.

Looking forward at her clothed face, Natsu couldn't help but notice the differences. The amounts of pudge in her cheeks had seemingly vanished along with most of her hair, with it now being in a short, straight cut that goes just below her chin but she had also got a little taller. In fact, now that Natsu thought about it-

"She should be around 15, 16… About maturity age."

Quietly, he spoke his thoughts out loud as he observed her. For a Dragon Slayer, the time when you start experiencing a time to 'claim' or find a mate is around the age of maturity at 16 so Wendy should be going through, or will be going through it soon. Gajeel seemed to have a pretty difficult maturity cycle, having pretty much kidnapped and assaulted the one he found himself bound to but Natsu had it relatively easy (discounting the whole 'multiple mates' thing) so this would, yet again, be another thing that he would be leaving on her own for, without his guidance and care.

Clicking his tongue, Natsu stood back up. He just needed to get all of this shit with Alverez even faster, so that he could be here to guide here… So that he could be here for everyone, for everything.

Taking one last glance at the trio that lay before him, he gave a small smile before retreating to the door and exiting into the hallway.

For a few minutes, Natsu found himself fumbling about as he tried to make his way to his destination, running into different doors and opening them to see a door that he did not recognize, only to quickly duck out for fear of getting caught. Lost in the shadows, he stumbled until he came across the room that he knew, the room that he had seemingly been in many times… Almost all of them as an unconscious ragdoll, but he had been here a lot.

Jostling the door handle slightly, he felt it cave and allow him entrance. When he stepped within, he found himself face to face with hundreds of sets of armour and weapons lining the walls. He chuckled, of course she would keep all of it here. Even in almost total darkness, he could tell that the floor was expensive marble with an intricate pattern while the ceiling remained just as polished and clean cut. Just like Erza.

Calmly and quietly, Natsu began to make his way through the halls, careful to try and mask the heavy noise his shoes made as they hit the rock below him. After staring at the different pieces of armour that seemed to lurk around every smooth corner, he finally made his way to the back of the hall where the red-heads bedroom seemed to actually begin.

To be honest, Natsu couldn't remember it very well so he was pleasantly surprised to see it was almost completely made of wood; the walls were painted a chestnut brown with delicate and detailed patterns of tree bark painted into them. All of the pieces of furniture were also made of wood without any paint, giving the room a very homey and comforting feel that Natsu began to feel resonating from his own home. Sweeping his gaze across some of the knick-knacks lay strewn around the room, his eyes came across a few pieces given to them on jobs. It seems that his job board idea had caught on and now everyone was doing it. It felt nice.

Suddenly, he became aware of the soft snoring sound resonating through the rafters and felt himself freeze up at its calmness. Twisting his body as his feet commanded him onward, he felt his breath become stuck in his throat for the third time that night. Draped in light sheets of almost transparent white, sat Erza Scarlet, red hair setting the bed on fire with its intensity, with her curvaceous form laid pressed into both the sheets and mattress as she rolled with a strange sense of grace. She appeared to be wearing very little, just a bra and some shorts Natsu could assume, but it didn't take away from her image.

Like with the Strauss sisters, he clearly felt something for the dominating red-head, her poise and attention to battle and combat being only a few reasons why he felt this way. Yes, he could argue that all three girls had incredible bodies that should be worshipped (which they did) but Natsu could see just that. No, he saw their strife, their power, their flaws and their weakness, what made them fragile and he embraced them all…

But once again, he would have to say that Erza's eyes were a big point of attraction for him. He had a thing for eyes; Natsu would always say that someone's eyes would be the easiest way to see someone's life, you could see all of the pain and the punishment they had endured while seeing all the joy and the happiness that had felt too. Unlike the sisters, Erza's were chocolate brown and they were just as sweet as the real thing, hiding any kind of pain tight behind a wall of joy that only a few people had managed to break through; the Slayer was one of them and he had seen and felt all of her agony personally and it killed him.

What really bough her close to his heart, however, was her attitude towards him. Yes, when they were younger, she and Mira weren't exactly the nicest to him but he wasn't really the easiest to get along with so he could accept that; it was the way they both tried to make up for that which got to him. Mira had done it gradually, every drink and every conversation at the Guild made it for him, but for Erza it was her strife to improve and help him with whatever problems he faced whether they be academic or barbaric and so every time they studied together, fought together or against each other, he felt like he was becoming far closer to her then he was before.

Sitting beside her bed by her desk, he simply stared at the wall while loose strands of her tickled his neck and her snoring sounded through the air. Her confidence and her power was something her feared and something he admired at the same time, her control and ability to organize and structure something was something Natsu wished he could have back in his life again. He wanted some kind of structure and plan…

But with Alverez looming over him, with his position at Tartaros… He couldn't have that right now.

Their conquest and success over the Titans meant that chaos was something they needed over order at this time, confusion and all out power was needed over any kind of structure and while it pained him to let go of that order for the time being, it was needed. Natsu clenched his fist as thought about it, anger slowly spreading through his body.

"Soon."

His voice was low and harsh, all of the fury at not being able to stay right her evident from his tone. Turning his head to the side, Natsu found himself face-to-face with Erza's sleeping face and he couldn't help but find it adorable… Cute, adorable Erza. Leaning forward, he gave the girl a chaste kiss of the forehead once more, a sign that he would come back to them all much stronger then he was right now.

It was a promise he wouldn't break for the world.

Standing, Natsu turned to the sky only to see the darkness beginning to dissipate. Sunrise was fast approaching… He needed to meet Sayla soon. But first, he needed to leave his message.

Sparing Erza one final glance, he bolted out of her window and quickly began to sprint towards the Guild.

* * *

Sayla wouldn't have said she was bored… Just a little inconvenienced.

For the past day, she had just been walking around unburdened. The Demoness had frolicked in the wild, enjoying the peace and tranquillity that came with the forest and how it mirrored their bleak and empty base back home. There, all she had to enjoy was the flowing water or how the idiots tended to have regular fights over one another... Or she could enjoy Natsu.

Despite her moniker, Sayla couldn't help but flush at the thought of her Master. Ever since he had come to the Guild, she had so much more interest in the world, in life, in humans and how they perceive Demons and Dark Guilds, with the mere idea of others being as accepting as Natsu was plaguing her mind constantly. From his talks and conversations about his old life, about Fairy Tail, they were all just as special and just as accepting as he was, all fuelled by some distant power that somehow kept everything running strong despite any problems they would come across. That was nonsense to Sayla's mind, however; Natsu appeared so special and so different that the thought of others like him seemed strange and foreign to her mind…

Not unappealing… Just strange.

And now she sat bathing in the early summer lights of the rising sun, basking in the rays that passed down atop her from the breaks in the trees. Once again, she was back at the hill where her and Natsu were yesterday as she waited for his return.

Hearing a noise to her left, the Demoness turned slightly only to allow a broad smirk to be painted across her whole face.

"Speak of the Devil…"

She licked her lips lightly. Before her, Natsu was walking up to her with his hood thrown up and his head down, eyes turned to the floor and hidden away from her view. He seemed to know she was here, though, as he stopped his walking as soon as he reached her. This prompted Sayla to respond to her silent Master.

"Welcome back ~Master~. I hope you had a nice time."

"I did."

Quirking her head at the response, Sayla tired again.

"" ~Maaaaaster~ what's wrong?"

He didn't even respond this time. She was about to question his odd behaviour when the sound of tapping filled her ears. It was light and very low but Sayla still heard it. Looking down to her feet, she couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at drops of water falling underneath his frame. Glancing back up, her voice became lost in her throat as he looked at him.

His face was turned to her, his hood down now, but it was also stained with tears. The wetness was glistening against her cheeks, while his eyes remained closed (which did not stop the flow of tears) and his lips were turned up in a smile. Despite the tears, he looked… happy.

"Nothing, Sayla… I'm just really-."

Before he could finish, the shorter girl had enveloped his figure in a warm embrace, burying his head into her chest as she patted and ran her fingers through his hair in a loving, compassionate way. At first, it was quite jarring to the pink haired man, as Sayla was often cold and almost emotionless, only acting up in moments of tension or at points where she could tease him. This was not one of those moments. This was genuine emotion that seemed to pour out of her very heart as she comforted him in his time of need. And he thanked her profusely for that.

They remained there, stagnant, for a few minutes. Then, Natsu lightly pushed himself off of her and looked Sayla dead in the eyes.

Her eyes… They were some of the strangest yet most beautiful he had ever seen. The dark, exotic purple seemed to bound and twirl around her like some kind of dancer, enticing his every will with their rich and deep colour while also showing him her fears of nothingness and her acceptance of oblivion, her lack of pain and punishment save for the agony of not having any. It was all available for him to see and connect to, all present for him to experience with her… He truly did love her eyes.

"Thank you Sayla, but I am fine."

Looking back towards Magnolia, he began to smile even more now as he thought back on what he had done. Sayla just continued to look ahead at him, confusion dancing on her face.

"Did you achieve what you wanted by coming here?"

Turning back to his partner, he gave her a sly smile that she didn't even have time to question. Then, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against her forehead. It was slow and sinful, powerful and poignant and it left her speechless and red.

"Everything I wanted, thank you for bringing this idea up."

"I-It's no problem Master… No problem at all."

Leaning back from her skin, Natsu looked at the floor. He knew they must have found it by now… He just hoped that they understood what it meant.

* * *

Rubbing his hands together, Gray prepared to set for the Guild Hall.

It wasn't particularly cold out and even if it was, he would be used to it; there was just this sense of foreboding leaking through the air, like today was going to be super important or something.

Did it have something to do with that guy who was here yesterday?

He was just stood there, creepily watching as he practiced… What the Hell was he doing? Who even knew where he lived? He bought a house at the edge of the town for a reason so what was-

Then it hit him.

Gray smirked and looked outside his window to where the guy was standing yesterday and he began to remember somethings about him; most specifically, bandages wound around his arms…

"Get your ass back soon Dragneel, you hear?"

* * *

Looking the man up and down, there was something off about him that Sayla couldn't quite place.

It was almost as if something had been taken off of him, a burden had been lifted somewhat and now he was free to hold his head high until he got back. It was strange that she couldn't place it but something was definitely off.

Staring at her, Natsu smirked.

"Found it yet?"

He knew?

"No… What is it?"

He just continued to smirk.

* * *

"Hello Asuka! How is my beautiful baby girl this morning?"

Bisca giggled as her baby began to run her tiny hands all over her face. It was a sweet gesture that she had honestly fell in love with after becoming a mother, the simple idea of contact between you and your child being the sweetest thing of all.

However, something she did find odd was that Asuka was actually wide awake. Usually, the girl would be all groggy and hard to cooperate with but today? She was up and bouncing around before even Bisca got up.

"Pink!"

Quirking an eyebrow at her child, she tried to question what she said.

"Pink?"

"Pink! Pink!"

Pink? What was so important about the colour pink? Looking around the baby's room, she couldn't find anything out of the ordinary that hadn't been there before… All the toys were the same and she hadn't made this response to them before so what was going on.

"What's pink, baby?"

Tilting her head, Asuka took a few seconds before she leant forward in her mother's arms and began to touch and lightly pull at her hair. Now she was confused… Why was Asuka so obsessed with the word 'Pink' and what did that have to do with… With… Hair.

Pink. Hair.

Almost instantly her eyes shot open as she realised what this could mean…

Was he-

* * *

"Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because you should know what is so different about your Master."

Natsu grinned at the way Sayla was acting, pouting and batting her eyelashes like some spoilt child. Surely, she should know what was wrong with him, what he was missing from his person he always had it on him and rarely ever left it behind. Chuckling slightly as she examined his hair, he poked the Demoness' head lightly.

"You're looking in the wrong place."

Looking in the wrong place?

* * *

"Good morning you two."

"Why good morning Wendy, did you have a good sleep last night?"

"I did, thank you."

Both Wendy and Carla waited for a few seconds to see if the third one in their trio had anything to say. Silence. Turning their heads, the blue haired Dragon Slayer began to giggle at the conundrum, at how Happy was still sleeping. He did this practically every day that he was here and the same thing happened to him practically every day he was here so he had no excuse not to learn.

Growling at their companion, Carla began to stomp over he duvet towards the blue cat, intent on waking him up.

"Now listen here Tom-Cat, I- "

"-Natsu…- "

Wendy froze. Was he having a dream about Natsu? Suddenly, images of the pink haired man began to flood her mind as her face got red and hot. Why did he have to leave? Why? Usually, she would begin to cry at this point but today something else was taking a hold of that emotion. Something… new.

Panting lightly as she turned away from Happy and Carla's arguing to instead turn to the wall in blinding heat.

"Natsu…"

* * *

So, it wasn't anything to do with his head… Did he have any new scars or anything? No, he wouldn't have lost anything in that case.

It had gotten to the point where Natsu had begun to lean up against a tree he was that bored, laughing lightly as she tried to figure it out. She was even pulling out the pouting and the lash flicking and he wasn't budging…

Wait, it couldn't be his… Right?

Glancing down at his waist, Sayla's mouth fell open as Natsu smirked in satisfaction.

"You figured it out, huh?"

* * *

"I'm going to open up the Guild, alright Lisanna?"

"-ea- -see- -in- it- "

Sighing at her sisters jumbled gibberish, Mirajane just began to descend down the stairs. For some reason, she felt elevated today, she felt happy and comfortable and she had just woken up. Pouting, the white-haired woman couldn't figure out what was up with today for the life of her.

She did… Have that dream again; the one with Natsu.

Just the thought of him was able to turn her face scarlet. That was just a dream, though right? But at the same time, it had felt so real and so raw, like he was actually there… Maybe today was the day he would come home.

Humming quietly to herself as she walked down the street, greeting anybody that was actually up at this time in the morning. Oh well, she had a job to do and the early morning wasn't going to-

As she reached the top of the hill to Fairy Tail, her mind exploded at what she saw. She couldn't even comprehend it, couldn't even follow through with what she was thinking before the tears began to leak, running down her cheeks in small waterfalls.

H-He was here… He really was.

"Mirajane, my dear."

Tilting her head to the side, she came face to face with Makarov, the old Titan smiling and crying at the same time just like her.

"W-What is t-this Master?"

He seemed to understand her sobbing and panting as he turned towards the Guild doors and he smiled.

"A sign."

* * *

She was stunned at his decision. He could tell.

"Why did you give that to them? Isn't it really important to you?"

Sayla cared about his wellbeing, his feelings and how he would cope without the pillar of emotonal support that he had just given away. It was sweet, it was caring, it was loving… It was a side of her that he wished he saw more of.

"They all know the meaning, the message behind it so I guessed that they'd know what I meant if I left it with them… They understand and they all know how much it means to me so…"

He broke off at the end, staring at the floor as he thought back to when he left his message at the Guild.

* * *

 _Stepping back from his work, Natsu smiled a teary, blurry smile._

 _This was something he really needed to do, for everyone, to let them know that he was still here and still with them, to let them know that he had been here… And this was the best way to do it. Running his arm over his eyes to wipe away any remaining tears, the Slayer took in a long, deep breath. The sun had already broken over the horizon so he needed to go and meet Sayla._

 _Turning on his heels, he made to walk down the path towards the hill before he froze in his spot._

 _Standing before him, was the small figure of Makarov._

 _At first, he appeared shocked and confused, tears already springing to his eyes as they began to reform in Natsu's. Bathing in the early morning lights, Master and student stood there in silence as they relished in each other's company._

" _You aren't coming back yet… Are you?"_

 _Hearing those words crushed Natsu's heart, gripping it like a vice and squeezing it to forcefully rip out any ounce of panic and emotion, terror and fear he had left. Lifting his shaky head towards his Master, the pink haired man just shook his head. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Makarov turn to the door and gasp at what was left there. The old man turned back to Natsu._

" _Are you sure you want us to have this?"_

" _Yea Gramps… You know what to do with it."_

 _Walking forward, the All Slayer stood before the Titan and the two looked each other in the eyes for one last time._

" _I'll give you your hug when I come back for real, okay? I'll owe you that at least."_

 _Makarov chuckled._

" _Well don't make me wait too long; I've already been waiting three years, any longer and I'll keel over!"_

 _Wearily laughing at the statement, Natsu steeled himself before walking past Makarov and down the hill, leaving the man there to think by himself._

* * *

Looking up from the floor and towards Sayla's eyes, he found himself becoming lost in them once more.

Pushing himself off of the tree and towards the Demoness, he took her hands in his own and began to run his fingers over her pale skin. Once or twice, her saw her physically shiver as he performed his actions. He truly did have to thank her for this, coming up with the idea to come here and see them again because it truly allowed him to free his mind, to become free from society and focus solely on his role as Guild Master…

At least, until he got back.

Turning back to Sayla's face he gave her a striking and powerful smirk.

"Are you ready to win a war?"

* * *

This truly was a sign.

He may have gotten to speak to the boy, but the others did not. As more and more people began to close in on the Guild, more and more people become emotional or speechless as they reached it. For this sign, this sign spoke out to them in so many ways.

It told them to be strong, to stay powerful and remain focused.

It told them to not worry about him, that he was safe and the he was able to fight his own battes.

It told them that he would be coming home…

Soon.

Turning back from the crying and the emotional Strauss sisters, Makarov began to walk up to the door and past all the other members. Some looed phased and obviously surprised while others just pleased or emotional at the revelation. Makarov himself was a mixture of a lot of emotions but the one most prevalent was pride; he was so proud of his child… And he was almost done with his journey.

Finally reaching the door, Makarov allowed his mind to be filled with happiness and love for his child, for the person he cared for… For Natsu Dragneel.

"We'll be waiting Natsu…"

Reaching out, he slowly put his hands atop of the sign, the message, that Natsu had left them which was securely tied around the Guild doors. To prove his worth, to prove his commitment… To prove his devotion, his fire and his passion all in one. To show that he was ready.

Before them all, sat the scarf of Natsu.

* * *

 **And done! This is the longest anything I have ever written for this site so I hope you enjoyed. I tried to make this a bit of a more heartwarming chapter so I hope you all liked that and while some of you may think that Natsu was a bit creepy... Eh. Yea just... Eh. But yeah um... Hoped you liked it! Now next chapter is when the war starts which should be easier for me to write. And now the harem list!**

 **Brandish**

 **Cana**

 **Dimaria**

 **Erza**

 **Lisanna**

 **Mira**

 **Sayla**

 **Ultear**

 **Wendy**

 **There may be one spot open for another person so... Suggest I guess? However, I do like this list at the minute so I dunno.**

 **And now I bid you adieu! Thank you for reading and I'll see you next time!**

 **-Jack**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello everyone and welcome back!**

 **So it's been a lil' bit but hey, stuffs been happening. For one I got my results and... They were really fucking good. For English, I got a grade that only 3% of the country did so... Yea (Maths I did good in, got a B, and I am well chuffed with that) which i am really fucking okay with! These results are also why I've taken a while to get back into writing cause I had to go for an enrollment to college, which I will be starting in September, and I've been worrying about that but now I have confirmed courses that i will attending and a rough timetable so... Just, yea. That will mean maybe less time to write cause I'll be focusing on study again but I do have quite a bit of free time which I will be using to write and better myself when I'm actually at college so... Jeez, I'm a college student now... Fuck.**

 **One general thing first though and... Its about Irene. Listen, so many of you responded and asked me about her so I have to say something here. Irene will not be included for several reasons, which I will list now. 1, most importantly... I FUCKING DESPISE HER! Seriously, she is my most hated character in Fairy Tail and I can barely find any good points for her; her death was stupid, her relation to Erza was badly tacked onto the end of the story, her mere existence was just to show how OP and how much of a Deus Ex Machina Erza is (She punched a fucking meteor with broken legs and actually shattered it instead of... I dunno, dying) and I just really dislike everything about her. This is one of the major reasons why I'm adamant not to include her; my hate for her will lead to neglect for someone Natsu is supposed to fall in love with and I will hate to twist and twirl around my own ideology to make that happen; when I accepted Irene into the harem, i could tolerate her because most of the bullshit surrounding her hadn't occurred yet and I thought her magic was cool so I was happy too. Now that Fairy Tail is over though, I can firmly confirm my stance on her and it is that I hate her with almost my entire being, thus making it very hard to place her in a romantic way for me to write.**

 **Secondly, is her relation to Erza. Yes, she is Erza's mom. Before all of the bullshit with her personality and what she had done, this was a big reason why I didn't want to add her. For me, I just dislike the Mom-Daughter in the same harem thing and the situation becomes even more hazy if children are introduced into the equation and that is shit I just don't want to deal with. Now I hear some of you in the reviews questioning this response as I have both Lisanna and Mira in the same harem and, they too, are related. However, they are siblings, not mother and daughter. It makes far more sense for them to love the same man as it occurs in the world today and is more prevalent. I also really like Mira and Lisanna as characters (Lis is my favourite character in the whole series) so call it bias if you want but it was always going to be there and they will be far easier and far more natural for me to write them with Natsu then a woman Natsu did not interact with once for my memory. And for the children thing, it is far easier as they will be siblings and if not, they are cousins. Yes it is a bit weird but it is far better then one being an uncle to the other in the case of Erza and Irene. If you're into that thing, great! I'm just not.**

 **Thirdly, people pointed out that i should just change her backstory and have her not be related to Erza. I have several problems with this. 1, I have already mentioned a few chapters back about how I hate changing the backstories of pre-established characters and their relations to others in the story as I feel it being disrespectful to the original writer (yes this is an AU but I am not changing anything in the past of characters and with people like Natsu and Zeref I am building on something not established or built on at all in the manga). It is stupid yes, but it is a personal thing for me as a writer that may not be able to be experienced by just a reader. Sorry, but I don't know how to convey it in a better way. 2, Irene's backstory is one of the only things that saves her character for me. Her whole Dragon Slayer thing paired with her rape and subsequent torture and derail into madness and lack of feeling is beautiful and very poignant, it allows me to feel and empathize with her and Erza, makes me feel sorry for them both. However, it was badly handled and tacked on by Mashima, driving out any real feeling from the story and replacing it with a weird, wishy-washy character who couldn't make her mind up. This is not what I want. In my story, I want Irene to be built upon in her relationship with Erza, with them figuring out their differences and trying to help Irene with her helplessness and the trauma she experienced at the hands of her captures, not turn her into some terrible villain who eventually falls to her own desires (her killing herself was really dumb and stupid and done just to forward the narative without any rhyme or reasoning to it) and having to change that all for the sake of having Natsu fuck her and Erza at the same time kills the only part of Irene I enjoy. I do not want this. I want to make Irene a character I like and changing her backstory will not solve that.**

 **Hopefully that clears some stuff up. I apologize for any of you being hopeful for her return but I do hope that this has outlined my reasons why she cannot be in it and that you can understand that. I was wrong to take her away after so much support but it was for the betterment of the story.**

 **Anyway! I just wanted to thank you all for the support once more and a repetition on the update schedules (If i post anything on any story it will be on either Monday or Friday so look out then) and lets get into the reviews!**

 **TeNellis: Thank you!**

 **NinjaFang1331: Thank you too, I tried and am glad it payed off.**

 **MCRasengan: Yep, so am I man. I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Chimera629/Maxe03: Are you the same person? If so, please do not give the same piece of criticism with 2 accounts just to demoralise me. If you re 2 different people, then I apologize, but I highly doubt it given you basically say the exact same thing and there is a large amount of coincidence surrounding both of you for this and my Spider-Man story. Both of ou critise how hard this hits him... How do you expect him to react? He is seeing his friends for the first time in 3 years. I don't know how ou want to see characters but I want to see them with feeling and for him to get this emotional is completely natural. If you want heartlessness, then go somewhere else please. His memories are a different story that has already been talked about in previous chapters. He left the scarf as a sign, other gifts I feel would squander the meaning of his return and just make it a gift show. The Slayers are asleep for one, another thing is that Natsu is a Slayer himself and so he knows how to get around there senses. The Soul Breaking is just me borrowing something from my Heart Fire story as a means to explain why Natsu needs multiple mates, and will be explained later on. I called him a student cause Makarov taught him companionship and what it meant to be apart of a family; Igneel taught him the basics but Makrov truly built in all of Natsu's ideals. His Guildmates are stronger too, don't think they are slacking off. Once again, do not comment twice with both accounts if you are the same person, I've had enough bullshit with multiple accounts and I know something is up with you. Do not do it again please. If you are 2 people (I highly doubt it) the I am sorry.**

 **MidnightScar17: Good to be back.**

 **Guest: I prefer her with shorter hair. Personal opinion.**

 **ADragonoid75: Begging huh? Well, if enough people vote for her then sure.**

 **Guest: Hehe, thank you so much, you're making me blush. I cry really easily at emotional things so to see my own story elicit that response from someone really warms my heart so thank you so, so much.**

 **Guest: No. No no no no no. Do not pull that bullshit with me; there was no claus on reincarnation with the curse and they are definitely Mavis and Zeref with different names. Mashima just can't let people die and its clear, just call him out on his bullshit.**

 **TheRangerBoy: Your wish is served.**

 **AngryHenry: Perhaps, but I feel like Laxus just isn't s powerful emotion wise in my opinion.**

 **Rocleet: Thank you! I am very happy I managed to do that and yea sure.**

 **T-B-R: Yup, thinking of boosting the rating to M soon but I duuno.**

 **Dragoul Mayol: Woooo... That is some really high praise that I don't think I deserve but thank you so much.**

 **Nick Terakidan: Yea, Juvia is cool.**

 **Batman1998: Thank you and yep, all about war now.**

 **Touka123: Thank you, I really liked that bit too.**

 **TheLaughingStalkIsKnown4-1Taps: Jeez your name gets harder to type out every damn time. Anyway, I honestly don't know if I can. Over the years I've been involved with Fairy Tail, my sense to NaLu has begun to fizzle out so... I dunno if I can. If she gets enough votes, I'll try but like I said I dunno.**

 **xXCoopyXx: Yep, my arse is back! And sure I'll take them into consideration.**

 **Uber Ghidorah: Gotcha.**

 **HellFire45: Yea that is completely my bad. I forgot I wrote that. It was supposed to say that he stuck around in the first week and then left to train. I apologize for any confusion.**

 **CUCKED AGAIN: No. Sorry. Reasons above.**

 **TreeOfSakuras: No. Sorry. Reasons above once more.**

 **Shu Ouma GC: No, I like Mira way more then Irene. Other reasons above, I'm sorry.**

 **ShanAndre765: I will don't worry. I love this story.**

 **MiseryWolf97: Thank you, and he will soon don't worry.**

 **LeoTheSage: Yea, its understandable don't worry. I get it. Also, out there choice... I dig it.**

 **Guest: Thank you for your understanding, it really helps for situations like this.**

 **Gluten-Free Shits and Chips: You know he would just freeze up on the spot if he was exposed to that shit.**

 **DuskRider: Thank you. Heartfelt and war usually aren't said together though.**

 **Gammagyro: Um... I think I understood most of that? If people vote for Mavis, I'll be sure to take that idea in mind.**

 **Guest: Reasons for Irene above. Also, 'just her mother'? It's a bit more serious then that.**

 **Gabriel98: Thanks and gotcha!**

 **A Fan: Jeez, than you. Answers to your quandaries: 1. Soon my friend, soon. 2. Well, there is a strange domino affect in the world now. Due to Natsu leaving and wanting to become stronger, that then pushes Fairy Tail to rise above anything they've ever become to match him. This then makes the world itself see Fairy Tail and want to become stronger so they train too. So basically Natsu leaving caused everything to get a boost in power well above their cannon status. 3. He'll be fighting Hyperion mostly... And he has Devil Slaying Magic, making the match more stable. 4. Hey dont worry man, I really value your opinons so thank you for expressing them. 5. I will more now, don't worry I really value my writing but I know that I'll have to value real life more too, so thanks.**

 **UltFireStorm: Sorry, reasons for Irene above.**

 **JOK3R Of Monday: Hehe thanks.**

 **Crayonickle: Jeez that is really high praise so... Thank you so much.**

 **Conavido: I understand your reasoning and why you're angry but you're abandoning a story because someone who has been in one chapter for like 2 lines and hasn't spoken isn't fucking someone else. Its just strange. Its not my ego and if its coming across as that I'm sorry, but why would you leave and stop doing something you like for something as inconsequential as that? I dunno but hopefully my reasoning helps you understand. If you still don't want to read know that I thank you for reading it in the first place and thank you for your feedback and I apologize for pushing you away but its for the betterment of the story.**

 **SB42Em: Thank you!**

 **Guest: Thank you and the Irene, Lisanna/Mira stuff is explained above. As for the Wendy thing, I think its fine. She'll be older when the relationship stuff happens but right now it might just be because 16 is the legal age in the UK so I view it as fine. I dunno. I hoep so too man.**

 **Guest: Your wish is my command.**

 **And done. I hope you really enjoy chapter 18!**

* * *

Smoke billowed around the room in a frenzy.

Charcoal serpents of fire and ash flowed in segmented circuits, corrupting any pureness that hung low in the air with flaming blades of darkness. The pace, the speed and the intensity that they flew at was maddening; the twisting barrage of crimson and black that ran over and folded under each other created a sense of insanity, of broken normality that sated the sinful minds of man with colour and destruction alike, of beauty disturbed by disgrace. It very appearance, its reason for existing, was to clot the air with death and act as the bringer for the end and it had played its role perfectly, with the dancing and twirling of the columns enrapturing the hearts of those who looked into its depths. It breathed the essence of war.

And standing at the centre stood one man. A man fuelled by a lack of knowledge and understanding, of a sick and sadistic course of vengeance that would decimate and incinerate all those who stood against this Draconic Warlord. The fire spewed forth from his body, from his very flesh, as an embodiment of himself, showing not only the raw, unburdened and all-consuming nature of his soul, but the uncontrollable desire that managed to leak from his heart; the desire to take every piece of oxygen from the air and claim it as his own, the raw power that pushed against the very forces of nature itself, the combined effort of the two in order to briefly show the destructive capabilities of this beast.

Despite draining and explosive the picture painted may seem, for those who lived around it, those who lived in it, it had become a thing of freedom, of liberty and comfort that they strived to achieve; yet, it still kept its edge, the fire becoming almost solid and with a cold metallic touch to accentuate its points. These swirling and spitting snakes of smoke acted as a beacon that seemed to radiate across the entire training field, something that stood for the place everyone wished to be at, something that would completely consume their minds and bodies due to its freeing and damning beauty.

A sigh was heard. This was soon followed the parting of a patch of ash, pushed aside by their creator until a thick tuft of pink hair began to poke out, sharply contrasting against the darkened skyline. It was ironic really, that a man of such colour could control something of such darkness and manipulated destruction yet that is how the world willed it; that is how Natsu perceived hi/ s powers. Standing up to full height, the Slayer began to absolve the untameable nature of his abilities in favour of seeing its faults, of how it lacked something that would complete him. It was something so simple and painful that it made the man's head hurt when he thought about it, how he would finally be able to return after his long journey if he had this one extra thing. Then he would be strong; he would be strong and actually proud of the power he conjured.

Slicing a sharp hand through the air, the haze of fire began to fade, dissipate and escape to the wilds as their summoner regained his strength. Watching with a hard, steeled gaze at the flames and how they fell, Natsu found himself at a loss once more. It had been about a month, maybe 2, since his visit to Magnolia, since he had let go of caution and reconciled with his people and his feelings, since he had vowed to come back soon, yet he was still no closer to coming back. Only about a week ago had he made plans (which they were following right this instant) to finally finish off this last leg of his journey and claim what little prize fate had left for him, even if he had to retch it from the beings twisted and warped grasp. Finally, the entirety of his fire had vanished and now he stood, alone in the decrepit and doomed rooms of Tartaros with only his depressing and fallen thoughts to guide and lead his path.

Glancing down, Natsu noted his current appearance. His chest and arms, despite showing lean and fierce muscle, were decorated with scars and scrapes, merits and tokens of fights against foes great and mighty, sitting atop his flesh on a dead throne just screaming out his failures to him; for the test of time, they acted as reminders of what he had done wrong in fire-fights and how he could not repeat those errors again. He found himself thinking the same things every day that he looked upon his body in a mirror or even when he was changing, a constant driving force that guaranteed care and comfort for his future from his own twisting and contorting mind. Past that, his hair had grown out long, bangs forming over his face while long patches of clumped spikes began to form all around his skull, sticking out as proud messages of his natural disregard for his appearance (save for the thoughts about his scars) while his teeth and nails had become sharper still, surpassing what they were previously in every regard. When he thought back on it, he realised that he hadn't changed too dramatically over his time away, only now missing his trademark scarf and childlike sense of wonder in his eyes, that having been replaced by battle-hardened truth and tactics.

And here he stood, a warrior bathed in heat and fire that would soon enter into a war he had been anticipating for almost 3 years, engrossed in the silence as he let his wildest thoughts and memories run wild.

In the quiet though, the pink haired man smirked as he heard the low rumblings of progress beneath his feet. This, paired with the faint feeling of movement, of how the earth beneath him subtly moved and arched slightly, reminded Natsu of where he was and what he was doing, so lost in his musings of war and battle. Alongside his Guildmates in Tartaros, he was travelling to Alverez, over the vast and limitless ocean that separated the two great lands on Plutogrim (he had Mard Geer control and tame the sentient cube as he just found it far too draining and annoying to pilot) so that he could finally put an end in the vendetta that had been steadily growing, catching onto the rest of his being like wildfire that could only be extinguished by the sight of Hyperion beaten into the floor, halting any progress he felt he had made with the mere thought of his presence irking the man to no end. They were here to fight off the Titans of Alverez and finally end whatever feud was going on between the region and Natsu; destroy any semblance of its existence.

If the pink haired Slayer was honest, he felt horrible for using his allies, his Guildmates, his friends to help him fight his battles, have them finish what was completely his problem but they were all so cooperative and had risen above every hurdle he set for them since becoming Master; it was to the point where he looked upon them with such a sense of pride that it rivalled that of what he felt at Fairy Tail. The very idea that these Demons, these creations of magic, had managed to come that fire in just under a year was extraordinary and Natsu could now truly admit that he knew how Makarov felt when he looked upon himself and all the other members. Pride. Passion. Passive-aggression… Then real aggression.

Chuckling lightly to himself, Natsu began to walk away from the scorched and scarred innards of the training room and towards the door when a voice interrupted his train of thought.

"You seem to have your power under-control, ~Master~."

There it was; the light rolling of the tongue accompanied beautifully by the symphony of deep seduction and lust that just dripped out into the world like a fountain, unable to stop itself as it just fully absorbed Natsu's psyche and body into a frozen and tempted mess of a man. Rolling his eyes, the man turned on his heels to witness the sight of his right-hand woman at Tartaros, one Sayla standing there without a single care in the world, almost as if they weren't about to enter perhaps the biggest conflict any of them had faced; a thin veil of red particles dusted his pale and flawless flesh, accentuating her large violet eyes and plump pink lips, while her long purple tresses flowed like waterfalls around her face, sculpting and wetting it with sin. It was truly a sight to behold.

Too entranced to take note of the moniker attached to his likeness, Natsu just laughed and tried to rub the sweat running up and down his body. In the last few months, ever since his visit, he had begun to feel a modicum of insecurity about how he looked around Sayla. She was beautiful, gorgeous and breath-taking even, with a body that people would beg to have or to hold, either was understandable, alongside a voice that could shake down both God and the Devil but once again, like always, it was the eyes; her eyes spewed power and grace, underlying devilish playfulness prancing about below the surface while a constant, pushing sense of determination driving her the whole time. With Sayla, everything with a hybrid of feelings, a chimera of emotions that twisted and twirled like snakes. It was as malicious as it was beautiful. And Natsu couldn't compare; his eyes had been so darkened by vengeance and a personal loss of self-worth that he wouldn't even look himself in the eye (at a mirror), so he couldn't even imagine how it looked to others. Especially to those he had grown to care for… Growing to love. To make sure they didn't look upon himself any differently, he had been trying to make his physical appearance somewhat distracting, something alluring that people could look upon in order to avoid his eyes.

Sayla though, could see through his ruse easily. Didn't mean she wouldn't appreciate his attempts though.

Smirking sultrily as she began to glide towards him, the world weightless below her feet, Sayla glanced the man up and down, taking in his glistening form and fiery expression with a sense of unruly honesty. For the many months that she had been in his constant company, the Demoness had seen the Slayer adapt and change to a large variety of things; from accepting his Demon heritage to finding his place as Guild Master, from attempting to mask his feelings of loneliness to confronting his own desires head on, she had seen him go through it all. However, as she stood before him now, for the first time since the two had known each other, his eyes were hazy, his mind clouded and his body an anomaly so she honestly couldn't tell what he was thinking or going through, only that it was to involve the Titans and Tartaros. Finally reaching him, the short woman looked up expectedly at the man, eyelashes batting against her fair skin as her smirk only grew in both intensity and size, drawing the man into her metaphysical embrace.

"I don't know if I'd go that far, I mean look at what I did to the damn room!"

He wasn't wrong. The training room had been battered and bruised by signs of fire for so many months, constantly taking the heated abuse of Natsu's attacks and solar damage to the point where the floor had become a frozen layer of soot. The supports and beams were charred and eaten away at by the flames, the cobbled stone had eroded and fallen to nothingness and the room seemed to emit a constant aura of heat and hotness that made almost everyone uncomfortable. Apart from Sayla. Glancing across the room with faux surprise, the Demon kept her smirk and sultry tone.

"You did this? I honestly couldn't tell."

"Ha ha, laugh it up."

Leaning down slightly, Sayla captured the unsuspecting man's hand in her own hard grip. Her intentions were unknown to him, his voice having been cut off and his jovial expression having been crossed out by the gesture. Instead of questioning her though, he just continued to watch her, intent on learning her secrets wordlessly.

Her hand seemed so small, dwarfed by his own, as she smoothed her fingers and joints over his scrapes and scratches, over his scars and cuts left embroidered on the battlefield that was his body. Natsu's skin was hot too, but it didn't seem like she cared all that much – aside from the light trails of smokey threads leaking off his form, his skin hissed as Sayla ran her hands all over him. After a short while, some sort of impulse took over the man's mind and he began to tighten his fingers around her own in retaliation, the two sticks of bone and flesh smashing and colliding against each other in silent conflict. This playfully serious tug-of-war continued for some time, the two of them fighting for control over the other's digits in almost complete isolation with only the light crackling of fire to accompany them. Sometime later, Sayla won over their duel. Wrapping both of her smaller hands around his right one, she lunged towards him, diving her head into his chest, resulting in the man heaving slightly at the impact.

"Couldn't have been a bit safer, Sai?"

Despite her cold exterior, the Demoness had become routinely intimate with the Slayer; wrapping him in hugs, holding him closer between her embrace when then walked, leaving fleeting words and cold breaths against the shell of his ear, all things that eluded and gave off a thick amount of seduction for the man. However, this time, she was far gentler, far more comforting despite her heavy-handed entrance. To Natsu's knowledge this had only happened on a handful of occasions; once being in Magnolia, and the other was during the time when his reoccurring and dormant nightmares about the Guild resurfaced – in other words, when he was in immense distress.

However now… Now he wasn't.

On his bare skin, he could feel the deep indents her nails left, the harsh ripping they caused upon his body as she tightened her grip around his chest. That paired with how cold she seemed, all lead him to the conclusion that she was the one in some kind of turmoil. No, she wasn't crying or showing any outward look of pain but… He could just tell. Resting his head above her own, Natsu allowed himself a final few fleeting moments of freedom and comfort amongst her purple tresses, absorbing himself into her softness and scent. It was nice. One last hurrah before he entered into the throes of war.

"Please don't be too reckless."

Removing his head from her own, Natsu stared down at Sayla's hidden visage with a quirked eye brow. She knew how he was, that he had been improving. Deep down, he knew that her worry was validated, that his previous actions and battles had shown how he could throw caution to the wind (and set it alight for good measure) but he had a group to command now, to lead so he couldn't be too reckless. Natsu chuckled lightly.

"What'd you mean by that?"

Instead of answering, the Chill Moon Goddess simply ran her fingers over the faint scars and twisting bits of skin over the pinkette's arms and chest… More specifically, where he had been struck and wounded by Hyperion.

Ah. Gotcha.

"You worried imma lose it in front of that white-haired bastard?"

Sayla nodded. Natsu took a deep intake of air.

"Well I can't promise you I won't – I've been waiting to go up against him for 2 years now."

"Natsu- "

"But I do promise to try and keep it under control."

Pulling away from him, if only slightly, the woman looked up at him with a look of apprehension and flickering happiness adorning her pretty face. Honestly, it made Natsu laugh; for so many months, she had been this stoic and serious, sometimes teasing, Demon who took no shit and looked out for herself above all. However, when she was alone with him, she began to bloom into an entirely new person; her shadowed and withered petals gave way to caring and needy patches of warmth, her over-cast bud began to sprout as her true desires became clearer and clear while her roots steadily dug into his very soul more and more as time went on. And Natsu adored it.

The room was quiet for some time before Sayla spoke up once more.

"Before… Before you came, we were all just wanders, things that existed without merit or reason that hurt and killed without any rhyme or reasoning. That was all we were; murdering Demons made by someone we had never even met, idolising someone just as illusive."

As he listened, Natsu couldn't help but feel a large wave of guilt wash over him. He had been the one they prayed to, the one that they justified all of their actions with and the one that pushed them to commit an unspeakable amount of atrocities and yet, he couldn't even be there to tell them to stop. Yes, he didn't even know that he was END at the time, or that Zeref was family, but it still left him with a hollowness inside of his heart that was slowly filling with dread and the faint dripping of pain. It hurt him how sincere and so heartfelt the woman sounded, her vocal chords straining as even her own body couldn't comprehend the switch and the change in personality and ideology. He was about to speak when one of her hands snaked its way up to his lips, ceasing all words that threatened to fly free from his throat as she played with his flesh, running her finger tips over and under it. She continued.

"I was just a cold, heartless, sadistic thing that sought only pain all because I thought that you wanted it. If you'd believe it, I used to think about what kind of person you'd turn out to be."

She gave him a look that seemed as immiscible as water and oil, her eyes screaming seduction while also crying out with care and underlying worry. It was strange… Her entire body reflected this; her body language was off, draped his form while still being reserved, while her fingers toyed and played with his figure while still being stagnant and still. However, he decided to see where this was all going.

"So, you fantasised about me?"

Sayla stood on her tip toes, leaned up to the shell of his ear and gave it a small blow.

"In a way…"

She bounced back down and stared to glide around his still body, forcing his eyes to keep following her every movement. She was trying to revert back to being sexy (which she was) but without any of the substance he had seen within her a few moment ago. Natsu held his tongue once more, though.

"I always dreamed that you'd be a hulking beast of nothing but death and destruction, more monster than humanoid with intentions entirely rooted in your own desires. At least that part was correct about my assumptions."

She chuckled.

"I jest. Deep down, I wanted you to be fierce, unrelenting and pure evil; I wished and hoped that you would be someone that truly did justify our own actions… Someone that justified my own feelings towards the things I do. Things change though, and the creature that I thought I wanted wasn't real. Instead, END was just a façade for someone far more important than someone Tartaros could use to justify ourselves with. No, you were someone who could make us repent and despise those actions."

There it was, the humanity in her voice was back, overriding the lustful musings of her mind. Now, Sayla had returned to his side, clutching onto him like a child would hold a stuffed toy, scared that he would disappear if she let go.

"You made me regret what I did Natsu… And you were not some magic infused creature created just like the rest of us; you were honest, you were pure and you were beautiful both inside and out. You were someone forced into a role and someone who had shed that shell, someone that had become what they wanted despite the hand that life had dealt them. We weren't like that, we were people possessed by the passion of another and puppeteered into believing what we were doing was just. I will always feel how I feel towards violence, how it makes me feel elevated and joyous and lustful and everything, but you have shown me the other side of the world, the other side of life and how beautiful it is. Seeing you go back to Fairy Tail made me realise how limited I had become and how I was wasting what little life Zeref had given me as his own personal Grim Reaper. Natsu you… You have allowed me to be alive for the first time in my life, and even though I don't have any experience with these feeling, I think I understand how I feel about you."

Silence.

"I- "

"Oi Natsu!"

Allowing a thick, heavy sigh permeate the air, the pink haired man turned his attention towards the entrance of the training room and to where the scratchy voice of Jackal bounced and resonated towards him. Sparing the shifting form of Sayla a glance, he saw how her entire demeanour had changed; her face had grown dark, frozen in the ravines of freedom and emotion that she had been frolicking in beforehand while her posture returned to that subtle desire hungry nature that truly meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. It was a complete 180 on how she acted alone with him, but he had expected that. Forcing his eyes off of the woman and towards the entrance, the man waited for a few seconds before the form of his Etherious companion stumbled in.

In the past few months, Jackal hadn't changed much. He had been cutting his hair, with it coming just under his chin while the bangs remained present but they were also shorter which subsequently allowed his ears to be seen more. The Demon had also decked himself in some new gear to better suit him in battle; he had replaced his tank top for a black, long sleeved muscle shirt in order to protect his body from his own explosives more while his neck-scarf stayed hanging around his neck, alongside new white baggy pants that fit him loosely and led down to heavy back and grey shoes that existed after a small gap between his shins and ankles. Overall, he looked ready for battle and Natsu found himself very happy that he had asked Lamy to make them all new outfits. Letting the Demon wander into the room, the Slayer found himself quite amused at how he was completely ignoring Sayla's presence, treating her as if she wasn't even there (which suited them both just fine) as he addressed the man.

"Yea what's up?"

"Just came down to tell you that we can see Alverez in sight so we should be there in a bit. You should probably put some clothes on; don't want to meet your maker in your birthday suit, now do ya?"

They both gave each other a hard chuckle and sharp grin.

"I dunno, I think a few people would appreciate that to be honest."

Casting a side glance towards the other occupant in the room, the Fire Mage let out another laugh at the flash of lust that flew over Sayla's face.

"Hehe, you got it boss."

Twisting on his heel, Jackal finally caught Sayla's eye and despite the smile that ran across his features, the small shiver that his entire body made and how his tail went stiff gave away his discomfort.

"You, uh, gonna go into battle like that?"

"If I did, I'd still do better then you, Kit."

The cat-like man gave a small huff of acknowledgement before pulling away and running back to the main room of the Plutogrim. A few seconds passed. Then the wo occupants gave each other small laughs of dissolution, intentionally ignoring the quite stern warning provided to them by their comrade.

"I never understood why you two hated each other so much."

"He's nothing more than a pest and a nuisance."

"A nuisance that will help us win this war."

"Perhaps. However, he is still as dislikeable and vile as ever."

"Whatever you say, Sai."

Wandering aimlessly closer to the woman, he took her tiny, flawless hands into his own, running his whole essence over her in an attempt to convey how he felt without words, without having to confront it before such a large-scale battle. If he did that, he wouldn't be able to get her or it off his mind while he thought; yes, he would be thinking of her during his strife but he would also need to think of everyone else and a confession right now would require the ultimate amount of willpower to push through it – something he didn't have. Inhaling sharply, he roughly pulled the woman inwards, inciting a sharp gasp to escape her as she crashed into his waiting chest, the hot skin soothing her cold flesh. Natsu paired this with his soothing voice on the top of her head, sending pleasant waves shooting all throughout the Demoness' body in calming and stimulating ways.

"I will make it my mission not to die here today, just so that I can hear what you have to say to me."

She shuffled slightly in his arms Sayla's voice grew distant.

"You already know what I was going to say."

"True… But it means so much more hearing it from you instead of having my dumb voice repeat it."

They both laughed.

"You don't give yourself enough credit Natsu."

"I don't find myself needing to if I'm going to be- "

Suddenly, the woman in his arms pulled away from him slightly, causing a bout of confusion to wash over him before he felt one of the most wondrous sensations he had ever felt; the soft taste of Sayla's plump lips. They felt so heavenly and ethereal against his own, the shock of this part of reality paralyzing him for a few, mere moments as he took in the ecstasy granted to him by this woman. It was as if she was trying to rip the very words she wanted to hear out of his throat, forcing them to bubble up of his teeth and spill out into the real world like the seductress she was – that only meant that he needed to fight back to stop that happening. Pulling Sayla closer, Natsu began to divulge himself in the woman almost completely, letting all of prohibitions slip for just this few fleeting moments. To both, the collision of softness against roughness, wet and dry had the pair reeling as their lips danced and twirled around each other, completely intertwined.

After a few moments, and what felt like a few enteritis to both parties, the Demons separated from each other, both red in the face and panting lightly as purple clashed with onyx. It took a while, but eventually, Sayla regained her voice. Bouncing up on her tip-toes, the girl gave the shell of Natsu's ear a blow before giving him a faint, ghostly whisper.

"I look forward to it… ~Master~."

Pushing herself completely from the bastion of heat that was Natsu, the Goddess of the Chill Moon began to saunter out of the room with a significant swing in her hips, heading towards her room so that she could slip into her newer gear. For a while, Natsu just stood there, engrossed in the ghostly figure playing with his head. He had truly fallen for her.

Chuckling, Natsu's eyes began to trail around the room until they caught they sight of a set of stacked clothes sitting at the edge of the wall, illuminated by the deep hue of the training room lights. They were oh so similar to his ordinary clothes but oh so different as well. They were well suited to himself, being fire-proof and having been worked on by Lamy to allow an Etherious transformation without heavy damage, while also being useful in battle and being lightweight enough for him to maintain movement. And now was the time to wear them. These would be his clothes from now on, the pieces of cloth that showcased what he was to the world; a fighter, a warrior, a Slayer.

Pushing past the thin sheen of sweat and heat lingering around his body, Natsu began to apply the clothing to his body, allowing the coolness of the material to soften and release a certain aura of calm onto his flaring skin. After a few minutes, he was full equipped in his new garb and took quite a bit of pride in how he looked. Just like his previous clothing choice, his torso held a slim fitting, sleeveless hoodie, complete with an oversized hood that could almost completely shadow his eyes with a pointed front, in a slick, light grey (almost white) colour scheme. On the lower part of his body, he had similar black, baggy pants to when he was with Fairy Tail, with the loose material falling down to his shins where it ended and a pair of long, boot-like-trainers started, with a fading white colour to them, almost like his hoodie (unlike his outfit at Fairy Tail though, there was no gap between the pants and the shoes). With this, he looked like someone ready to deal paramount amounts punishment, with a muted look of colours and damage and heavy artillery packed into his body. In these clothes, he felt free and proud to win a battle that had been a long time coming. Glancing down at his exposed shoulder, he saw the red colouring of the Fairy Tail logo, standing tall and proud against his tan skin. For a few seconds, he thought of covering it with bandages once again. He then went against that in favour of letting the mark fly free as a sign, a badge that screamed his conviction and pride to the people of Alverez; that he was a true member of Fairy Tail.

Turning on his heels, Natsu had a brief moment of confusion where he felt as though he had lost or forgotten something important before quickly realising what it was and where in particular it was. That one thought had his speeding down a trail of memories and people that only strengthened his conviction in the upcoming fight. Storming out of the training room, the Guild Leader of Tartaros made a B-Line for the top of the Plutogrim, where he had ordered the rest of the Guild to meet when Alverez was in sight.

Barrelling past any doubt and lingering pain that existed within himself, Natsu allowed himself to let go of emotions as he emerged into the light of the morning sky, his stagnant form pelted by the wind and rays of sun running across the world. The ocean steamed and sizzled in the heat as the waves of azure rocked and bobbed against white foam of frozen joy as a city stood in the far distance, almost merely a spec. However, even from the distance they were, Natsu could tell how grand of a structure it was; with massive, twisting towers of stone dotted amongst masses of houses and commercial districts, its mere existence put places like Magnolia to shame with its inherited elegance. This was the battlefield for the war between Tartaros and the Titans, this was where the labours of their war would be waged.

Around him, the Slayer could feel the impatient and battle-hungry personas of his companions, his friends that he now had to command. Without even a need to look upon them, he could feel their fury and their strife, how they had grown strong enough to best this creatures of myth and legend, how they had overcome all of their personal weaknesses to rise above and become the strongest iteration of themselves. Now was the time when that would all be put to the test.

Spinning on his heels and ignited by the ever-growing presence of the sun, Natsu spoke and let free the words of a King going against the very world.

"Taratros… Let us win this war."

* * *

 **And done! I hope that you all enjoyed this and I'm sorry if it's disappointing but this felt like the right place to end it. Fighting will start next chapter and more regular updates should start back up now. Next chap, Titans and Tartaus clash while The Spriggans watch over them all. As for the harem spot, it looks like its gonna be either Mavis or Juvia so give me your preference or something. I will see you all later then!**

 **-Jack**


	19. Chapter 19

**Hello everyone and welcome back to- Holy shit!**

 **H-How? Just... how?**

 **1000 followers... 1000. Just... What have I done to deserve this?**

 **Hello everybody and welcome back to Slayer's Flame.**

 **Before anything else, i have to thank you all. As I just said, this story reached 1000 followers this week and I just... I just can't thank you all enough. I honestly wouldn't be here without all your support and feedback, your criticism and thoughts so to see us hit such a monumental milestone just before this story's one year anniversary... Really warms my heart. You all mean so much to me and I hope you understand that. Thank you for allowing me to flourish and develop as a writer on this website.**

 **Now then! I have counted up everyone who commented last chapter about whether it was going to be Mavis or Juvia joining Natsu and the results were...**

 **Mavis: 9**

 **Juvia: 10**

 **As you can see it was extremely close between the two but in the end Juvia won out so i guess she'll be the one in Natsu's harem. However many people offered up great ideas for Mavis that I would love to expand upon so if you were one of the people who suggested something, send me a PM and we can talk it over. Alternatively, some people said that I should just add both girls but... I dunno about that. You tell me what you think and I'll sort stuff out. Seriously, PM though so we can talk about it. So now the current harem resides as:**

 **Brandish**

 **Cana**

 **Dimaria**

 **Erza**

 **Juvia**

 **Lisanna**

 **Mira**

 **Sayla**

 **Ultear**

 **Wendy**

 **And there we go! Hopefully this is good enough.. I don't really want to add anyone else because 10 girls seems like the most I can do realistically with character development for all 10. I dunno though, maybe... Probably not.**

 **Now reviews!**

 **NinjaFang1331: Thank you! It was alright in my opinion, but thank you.**

 **Tohka123: Hehe... Thank you for the support and the congrats on my grades.**

 **Hunter XZ: Completely agree with every point you made. Irene had so much potential only to come crashing down thanks to sloppy, rushed writing. That is something I will try and rectify in this story. And yeah, Erza is basically just a Deus ex Machina incarnate... Still cool, but really too OP.**

 **Chimera629/LeoTheSage: Both of you basically said similar things so I'll respond together. You have to remember who this is happening to; Natsu. Natsu has now been on both sides of abandonment as he has been the abandoner (in his eyes) to Fairy Tail and the abandoned in the form of Igneel leaving him. He knows personally how much your life can get fucked up by someone important leaving and in his mind he is doing that to Fairy Tail, thus all the guilt is generated. And don't worry man, I like criticism when its actually constructive and not just hateful so its fine, really. And thank you for your apology Chimera, sorry for ebing such a dick in the last review.**

 **McRasengan: Indeed my friend, indeed!**

 **TeNellis: Yup, thank you!**

 **JOK3R OF MONDAY: Aw... You're making me blush again, thank you.**

 **DuskRider: Yup, like I said, Irene was completely wasted in potential. She could have been so cool! Then she just fuckin' flopped... And thank you for the rest of the comments.**

 **MaligantStorm: Hehe, thank you. Don't think its that good but thank you for the praise, really.**

 **HellFire45: He sees it as a mark of hope, that seeing it will fuel him forward and even if they see it, in Natsu's mind he's beating them anyway so what's the worry.**

 **BearyTheScary: Thanks and no, i haven't. I've never watched a Fairy Tail movie cause I find it completely useless cause of the fact they are all non-cannon. Most anime movies are anyway.**

 **Guest: SO SHORT! I know, I hope this one makes up for it.**

 **Noyvern4Ever: Eh, just some personal preference.**

 **xXCoopyXx: In a perfect world, that would be the case. However, I am really strange as a person so it might not be in but we'll see in the future.**

 **Hulk9970: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Word of warning though, the very earliest Natsu will be rejoining Fairy Tail is around chapter 25-27. Even after the fighting, there's some stuff to do with the Spriggans and romantic development required so that'll happen but soon! Soon!**

 **TheLaughingStalkWhateverWhatever: Very true, very true. That bullshit will not be happening in my story, don't worry.**

 **AngryHenry: Woop woop!**

 **Gammagyro: Sorry if I casued you any offence, I'm really sorry. Don't you worry, I'm the idiot here for not understanding. You're idea is really good and really solid though so PM me so we can talk about it more, I'd love to hear about how you view it and the other ideas that you have revolving around this Mavis idea.**

 **Draco7374: Thnx my friend.**

 **And now onto chapter 19!**

* * *

Breathless.

Lifeless.

Deathless.

All of these emotions clashed and collided against each other to extreme and devious degrees of force, intent on tearing apart anyone in the vicinity and only being held back by the shackles put on it by its wielder; a grip imposed by the decayed and destructive grasp of Zeref. To stand before him meant to challenge his rule and authority, rise up against the whirlwind of plague-filled lies and deceit that threatened to spew out of his throat. To bow before him meant to forfeit under his blows, to accept defeat to his mere existence and a realisation as to how meaningless you were in the world. To kneel before him meant to submit to his hand, to feel his death on your throat as he slit it open with compliments and pleasantries, all the while under the constant guard of his own sickly essence.

Hyperion had experienced all three of these circumstances in his lifetime; enough to bring forth caution when in the Emperors presence.

Usually quite a prideful man full to the brim of his being with ambition, which the Devil Slayer sat empty on today, he was drunk on the stupor of fear instead as he submits himself before the Dark Wizard, both sides sheltered by behemoths and leviathans of power. Whether they be from his own Guild or from the beings above him, he could feel the corrupting and abysmal power they held within their beings, leaking out into the skies and the seas and the earth with such a savage sense of passion that it could drive lesser men insane. It was crushing and demeaning, to be at such a loss when in the vicinity of the power-houses of Alverez but the man couldn't help it; their grip was much like his rulers, hard and vice-like around his throat as he sat practically lifeless while they drained his body of its sanity solely with the threat of their magic. All of them dangerous, all of them giants… All of them bat-shit crazy themselves.

The silence in the room led the white-haired man's eyes searching the room, surveying anything and anybody with the upmost scrutiny in order to track down a semblance of weakness within these people. Flanking the Titans of Alverez on every side were the imposing and self-destructive forms of the Spriggan 12, standing or sitting as though these people (who were feared and worshipped in their own right) were nothing but pests, pebbles that they could kick out of the way at any time. It hurt Hyperion how correct they were in that assumption. Allowing himself a few moments of recollection and freedom as Zeref thought and pondered with his red-haired witch, the Fire Mage caught sight of several of the Spriggans and began to eye them up.

The first ones he laid his eyes on were a pair of beautiful women, chatting and arguing amongst themselves without even a shred of acknowledgment for the Titans. One of them held a tan complexion paired with short mint green hair, cut down to just below her chin in straight and unwavering style as two cross shaped, steel-like protrusions stuck out of the side of her head like horns, hidden mostly by her hair. Alongside this, the girls face conveyed a constant aura of annoyance or lack of compassion for anything in this world, her eyes half-lulled and bored as her fingers danced and played with each other; over-all, her entire demeanour seemed like that of a pouting child, waiting for her parents to be done with some prior arrangement so she could be pampered and spoilt some more. Despite her childish attitude though, the rest of her spoke to her confidence (and lack of shame) as she held nothing but a faded gold bikini that, while showing off her impressive body, also spoke to her careless attitude towards the rest of the world. This sat underneath a flowing golden coat with intricate purple flowers adorning it, alongside puffy blue fur coating her neck, which itself led to a golden choker attached to chains which led behind her while the only thing sitting atop her legs were a pair of high-heels, allowing the woman to showcase the Alverez mark ingrained onto the top part of her thigh. As he previously though, she appeared to just be a child masquerading as a woman.

Next to her though, appeared to be a woman whose confidence filled the entire room, showering them with disapproval and an innate spark of envy at her presence. Like her friend, she had shortish hair but for her it was a darkened blonde colour and fell to her nape in a short, cropped, messy fashion. Her face appeared muted too, her lips sewn shut in the form of a perplexing smirk and half-lulled eyes completed the appearance of a very smug woman. And, once again, her outfit was very revealing just like her green haired companions. Around her neck hung a sort of collar that guarded the flesh in a brownish colour with a golden rim, a colour shared by her skimpy shirt which only covered her unmentionables (leaving her mid-rift exposed for the world to see) and embroidered with some form of white lace. The brown colour scheme continued to her lower body, with a brown jacket having been tied around her waist, leading down to some pinstriped pants that tightened near her shin. What was most noticeable about her attire, though, was the massive gauntlet like protrusion covering the entirety of right arm which shone a bright gold as to just amplify her pride; not that Hyperion was really anyone to talk mind you.

From the looks of it, the two appeared to be close enough to the Emperor as to not be completely annihilated for talking in his presence, but still fearful to the point of speaking in a quite manner, their ghostly echoes bouncing around the room. If the white-haired Slayer could remember correctly, the two of them were in the higher leagues of the Spriggans, being more popular with the people of Alverez as well as with the personal army, hailing the two women as powerhouses that could crush countries in hours; if Hyperion was correct, then these two were Brandish Mu and Dimaira Yesta, the 'Country Demolisher' and the 'Valkyrie'. Subconsciously, the man shivered as he finally released whose presence he was in (most of the Spriggans were not present so he wasn't completely sure who he was surrounded by).

Cautiously, he tried to pick up on what the two were talking about.

" _Ugh, how long is this going to take?"_

" _The meeting? Probably a few hours at most."_

" _Argh… Why do we have to be here then? This is far too tedious and I have far more important tasks to do then this."_

" _To protect his Majesty."_

" _He has both Irene and August here."_

" _It's an order. Or are you thinking of subjugating and abandoning the Emperor?"_

" _I really hate you sometimes, you know that?"_

" _Also, you do realise that enlarging and shrinking the cats in town does not constitute as an 'important task'."_

" _Um, it is actually a very important task Dimaria."_

Unintentionally, Hyperion found himself sighing at their conversation, at how monotony and petty disagreements could make their way into a fortress as heavily guarded and internally protected as the body of a Spriggan. This soon devolved into the white-haired man questioning their mental stability and whether or not they could actual go through with the dangerous and destructive tasks they were known for; he then recalled where they were and how these two would most likely be dead at the Emperor's own hand if they were inadequate, nothing but mounds of decayed flesh piled up like ash. Even though he served the Emperor diligently and thoughts of defiance never crossed his mind, the mere notion of the Black Wizards power was once again enough to halt his mind from wandering too far from its restraints.

Pulling his eyes away from the quietly rowing women, the Devil Slayer found his emerald orbs drawn to the opposite side of the room where another group of Spriggans, a trio, all standing in arduous and overwhelming silence that left their magical prowess to speak for them; for someone as lowly as Hyperion (compared to them) it was as if he was being yelled and shouted at, his body bombarded by a constant stream of harsh abuse and he was one of the strongest Titan members – if he was being put under this much stress by the fact that they were here, how were the others doing?

All around him, he could feel the power and the lack of freedom depsite being unable to see them. Waves of wrath and power from all of the members that he couldn't see directly and had only heard their names and exploits; of Invel the Winter General, of God Serena the Dragon Slayer with 8 Lacrimas, of Larcarde Dragneel the Demon with control over human desire. They were all so powerful and so disruptive that it made him quake and rise in desire and power... That is where he wanted to be, where he wanted the Titans to be. A dream... A dream that he might not accomplish in the near future based on where he was situated.

Kneeling amongst this sea of power left Hyperion with a sense of distain, like he was drowning on the success of others after the raft he had spent so long build had fallen into the waves like it was worth absolutely nothing, that he was worthless and deserved nothing in the face of the colossal, almost universal signals of power. He expected that the other Titans were going through similar forms of turmoil (most of them had never been in the same city as a Titan nethermind the same damn room) that their minds were bouncing and bounding around in their skulls as they kept trying to justify their strength... That was what he was doing, anyway. Curiosity ate away at the man so much that he fell to temptation and was about to turn to observe their twisting visages only to be stopped by the stern voice of his ruler.

"I have discussed your proposal with my advisors and we accept the terms of your request as long as attempt to keep damage to a minimal."

His voice was so cold, so ruthless and lifeless with an edge sharper than any blade. Just like his grip, his voice was just as harsh, racking against the Devil Slayer's body like claws, drawing bloody tears of his crippled mind with every worded that broke out from between Zeref's teeth. However, there was something off about his voice; deep down, past the looming darkness and dread, past the depths of his heartless heart and soulless soul, stood a beacon of joy, a spark a humour that burned lowly. It was so minimal that it might as well not existed.

Feeling eyes baring into his skull, Hyperion rose his head with shaky uncertainty. To his surprise, he came face-to-face with the Emperor himself, his thorny smile sticking and stabbing the Slayer to his very core, to the point where he bones felt decayed and eaten away by the mere presence of a smile on this man's face. It was nothing natural either, like he hadn't smiled properly in many years; the skin that lighted and coiled around his toothy grin was misshapen and lined up horribly, his dry and cracked lips hung wonkily amongst his cheeks as his eyes appeared bouncy and uncontrollable, pupils and iris' dancing and spitting at each other. Even though the context may have explained away this absolute phenomenon, it did nothing but strike fear deep within the man it was directed at, his soul having been speared by the mighty, immovable force of the Emperor. For a few moments, everything was quiet.

"Hyperion, you are the one seeking out Natsu, are you not?"

Not even capable of offering a vocal response due to the heavy weight pulling on his voice-box, the white-haired man merely nodded many times in rapid succession. Natsu Dragneel, the pink haired deviant that had stolen hundreds of hours from Hyperion with the mere mention of his name; how he would strategize and manufacture plans to best the walking power-house, how he would be robbed of sleep and sense just to understand his ever-growing strength, how he would tackle and rip at trees or rocks imagining them all as stepping stones until he finally faced the Slayer once again. Since their last meeting, he had gained new powers, an entirely new skillset to face up against everything the Titan had. However, so did Hyperion.

This coming conflict truly would be spectacular.

Loosing himself within his own emotional disarray for several moments, the man almost missed what Zeref had to say next.

"Good. I doubt either of you will follow my warning or my request, but I will pardon you. I hope you give it your all Hyperion because my brother will not be easily beaten; he loves a good fight and I expect you to grant him it. Trust me when I say I know first-hand how seriously he takes battle."

Leaning forward, the haunting image of his contorting visage twisted a further ten-hold as his eyes began to blaze with an unexpected fury. Onyx began to be corroded by a fierce, setting scarlet as rings of vast darkness encircled and enraptured his gaze. The contrast between the pale skin of the Emperor and the richness of his crimson stained glance, enchanting and enrapturing like a beautiful painting sitting amongst a room of desolation and broken mantles. It was enough to cause everyone in the room, Titans, Spriggans, even Irene and August, to go back over his steadily shattering appearance as a stoic man, unwavering in every decision; and it was terrifying.

"Don't you worry, I'll give him a real run for his money at the very least."

"Thank you Hyperion."

Somehow, the man managed to muster the internal strength to break through his silence and offer a response to his ruler. As soon as he did, the strife within Zeref's eyes vanished, the fiery hue dissipating back into an inky void that lacked any overwhelming or underlying emotion. It was quite a sight, one that very few got to witness; to see the much-loved Emperor of Alverez fall to petty and selfish desires of the fickle heart, he had gotten this far in his country's endeavours by avoiding all the trivial desire associated with personal care and comfort. Now though? He had started to fall from the sky, his indestructible wings having burned and turned to ash under the mention of his little brother. Rather strange indeed.

Watching swiftly as the Emperor turned away from himself and towards Kronos, Hyperion sighed while imprisoning his wandering thoughts once again.

"The Titans of Alverez may use the city of Alverez as a battleground for their upcoming battle against the Demons of Tartaros. Brandish, Dimaria, you two go and begin the evacuation of the city, round everyone up and lead them to the abandoned land to the North, before returning here after your task has been completed. Invel, you, Wahl and Ajeel use your magic to protect the civilians once they have been led to the North. Serena, Larcade you two will remain here to oversee the battle alongside August and Irene and act as damage control if anything becomes too uncontrollable. Does everybody understand their roles in this fight?"

He received a chorus of confirmations and calls of his title.

"Good. You are all dismissed."

Minutes later, Hyperion found himself standing atop of a balcony near the front of the palace, open to the musky air of Alverez, spitting and scratching at itself with anticipation of the battle to come. It was hot and heavy, pushing down on the entire crew of the Titans, all of them pressured by both words and wisdom granted to them by the Emperor.

However, there was something bugging them, the Fire mage in particular; that smile, that look that he had received at the sound of Natsu's name had not instilled him with confidence. Zeref was a patient man, he was also a fair man but one thing he had never seen him be was a biased man. This time, though, that look he received was one of pride for his brother, a look that wished him well in his fight but ultimately wished and hoped that the pinkette would be the one to prevail. He was being pitted against by his own damn Emperor. Ironic.

Sucking in harshly, Hyperion set his arm alight with azure flames, watching intently as they lapped and kissed his twisting skin, springing and bouncing as tendrils clawed and scratched at his flesh all the while casting a glorious blue glow across his entire form. Even though it was only isolated at his arm, the brightness given off repelled any darkness that remained in the early morning summit; a perfectly bright tool for someone who slays Demons as a job and a lifestyle. Once again, his thoughts drifted to a certain Dragon Slayer and how his flames were so weak and pitiful the last time they met, and how warm and boiling the flames were when he felt his power all those months ago. The man had grown exponentially, enough to direct a blast of magic across the ocean and have it still hit with the impact of a train, but so had he… Whoever would come out on top would be the true King of Fire in the world of Alverez and perhaps the entirety of Earthland.

Letting out a harsh chuckle, he extinguished the flame and the light it cast with it.

"To think, this whole thing started with a single village."

Hearing something shift and move behind him, Hyperion turned backwards slightly to meet the shambling forms of Oceanus and Iapetus coming towards him, eyes turned towards the ground. Oceanus hadn't changed a bit in the last few months, set on keeping his style to the end of the earth no matter how weird or strange it was (in Phoebe's opinion) and so still kept his canisters of water alongside his army-esc aesthetic.

Iapetus, however, had changed quite a bit since they had last met. Out of all the Titans, he was the one who was away from Alverez the most, off in other parts of the world to complete odd jobs or acquire strange trinkets so the rest of the group didn't see him as frequently. From the last time he saw him, Iapetus had cut his golden-brown hair short, using a native form of static electricity to keep it up out of his face, and had gained a scar over his right eye, the faded crimson standing out against his steely grey eyes. For his outfit, he appeared to be more armoured then either of his Devil Trio comrades, with a loose-fitting, black armoured robe adorning his top with white outlines with a large cut up hood trailing down his back while his arms were coated in the same material which fell down to his gloved hands. The bottom half of his body was mostly covered by the tail-end of his cloak but beneath it were loose fitting pants with armoured pads and steel toed shoes, all outlined in various shades of faded or dirtied white. Overall, he held the appearance of some grand old wizard, intent on using his magic to rule the world despite his childish face.

Waiting patiently for the two of them to reach him, Hyperion just huffed and leaned against the railings of the balcony, looking out at the bleeding sun that was shooting across the sky. The three of them were quiet for some time before Oceanus spoke up.

"You know, every time we come here that Larcade guy creeps me out more and more."

Quirking an eyebrow at his colleague, the Fire mage spoke up.

"Is it cause us three know he's a Demon and he doesn't even know it himself, or the fact that he looks like he was made to scare children with his creepy ass smile?"

"Hm… While the first one is quite tempting to choose, it is most defiantly the second option. Like jeez, when Zeref created the guy did he have to make it so that he never stops fuckin' smiling? Seriously, he always looks like he's about to murder someone and he doesn't even bloody know it!"

"Emperor."

Sighing at the Lightning wizard's declaration, Oceanus just huffed in his direction.

"He's not here, he ain't gonna kill me for saying his name."

"You never know Oceanus, he very well might."

"Ah shut it Hype, I know you call him by his name too."

"Maybe I do… Maybe I don't."

"Why have you gotta be such a dick about it?"

"The evacuation should be almost finished."

Iapetus was quite a serious man, always to the point without deviation and a strict sense of loyalty to both Zeref and Kronos; it was to the point where he would act under their wishes even without an order. Sometimes, both Devil Slayers would assume that the rest of them would just go mad if he stayed at the base all the time, his voice becoming too jarring and too insanity driven for them to cope. Hell, he'd spoken about 2 sentences and they were already contemplating the dark grasp of the Dark Wizard's magic.

The man was correct, though. Glancing down and over the railing, the trio of Devil Slayers looked out into the melting world, where the ocean crashed and collided against the shoreline in destructive and demanding shows of strengths and the skies became cracked with light, and witnessed the droves and droves of people leaving town. From where they were, it looked as though a colony of insects were leaving their nest to avoid a storm, crawling up and over each other to escape with a chaotic dignity. It was strange to see… They were the ones causing this, their upcoming battle was the cause of all of this mayhem yet they could barely find a semblance of sympathy within themselves; that's just how they had been conditioned from all of these years.

The group continued to quietly go about their business of observing before the Water user spoke up again.

"So, you're going to fighting that Dragon Slayer, right Hyperion?"

"You're right about that."

"Do you think you'll win? I mean, if what you said is true and that power we felt earlier on this year really was him… Do you think you can beat him?"

For a few moments, he just allowed his mind to roam and sprint around his skull. Finite thoughts of rebellion and liberty, of defeat and retribution, of defiance against a giant bounced and shot off the insides of his head, springing about in a safari of savage thoughts. Deep down, he knew the answer to Oceanus' question, the true answer… Yet he refused to accept it. He wanted to try, he wanted to push past all the blocks put before him and shatter the chances of impossibility put before him. Hyperion wanted to win.

Clenching his fist, he turned towards the Water Wizard with a look of fury and fire blossoming within his eyes, sprouting out like a flower of deathly distribution.

"Even though the Emperor may be against me winning, even though Alverez may be against me winning, even though the entirety of Earthland may be against me winning, I will try until my blood boils and my bones break in order to completely decimate those chances. Natsu is strong, I cannot deny that… But I'm strong too, and so I will not fail."

His quiet declaration of power and utter influence swept a wave over the entirety of the Titans, freezing them to their foundations as the utter unrestrained adrenaline rushing through Hyperion's tongue struck a chord within them all, awakening some sort of dormant sense of establishment and being at how amped up he was to break free of reality. This was something new, something not trapped by the twisting norms of their upbringing and conditioning but something that they could all embrace for the upcoming battle. Smirking, Oceanus seconded that statement.

"Hehe, why'd I even question you? I know you're gonna win."

"You have outdone yourself this time Hyperion and I must commend you on that."

"You don't have to be so uptight you know Iapetus?"

"Explain to me how I'm uptight."

"Well for one- "

"Brother?"

Ripping his eyes away from the oncoming argument and towards the monochromatic form of Phoebe, her feet swirling and dancing atop of each other in the dim and darkened light. Leaning over towards her, the taller man nodded for the girl to continue and waited patiently for her to do so.

"Kronos wants to speak to you about the plan one more time."

Kronos… Despite being their Leader, he never really acted like one. Nodding towards the girl, he ruffled her hair slightly, allowing a particle of grey dust to hit and collide with her cheeks as he did so, before walking over to the dark corner where the other members of the Titans resided. Casting a final glance to the girl he thought of as a blood sibling (and after watching her tear into Oceanus for being a complete idiot once again', he let his mind relax and become lucid as he grew nearer to the darkness.

To the rest of the Titans, Kronos were just as much of a myth as he was to the rest of Alverez. They rarely saw him or heard of him, only ever hearing his disturbed laugh and screaming prey whenever he was actually at their base. They knew just about as much as everyone else as well, that he loved killing and murder, was very happy and willing to do it at the drop of a hat and held the title of the 'Devourer'. They did know a few things more secretive about him though; for one, he was directly employed to be the leader of the Titans after Zeref saw his handy-work while he was working for him as an executioner and head torturer and used a dangerous type of Lost Magic.

Sighing inward, the man just gave up any chance of reasoning or any decisive purpose and quietly continued to wander until he made it to where his leader rested. However, he was not alone. Instead, he had a pair of Titans alongside him, one of them who was staying completely silent, standing by as an observer while another was currently locked in a heated debate with their leader, both spitting words of equal venom and toxicity as they fought and clawed for some kind of edge. It was so potent that they didn't even notice the white-haired man's approach.

Instead, he caught eyes with the silent watcher first, giving the woman a curt nod when their eyes met. She was Theia, a Titan who rarely ever saw close-quarters combat like the rest of them due to her specified magic and the fact that she was better tactician then she was a fighter. Just like the Light magic she wielded, her whole body seemed to radiate and let off a warm glow that seemed like the polar opposite to the monochromatic Phoebe; she boasted long blonde hair that curled and twisted at the ends to create an ocean of beautifully perfect tresses, and an attractive figure that was only upheld and boosted by the power she gave off. Even though her eyes seemed hollow and empty, they too exuded this same light to showcase the woman's dominance over the element she wielded. As for her armour, it was quite simply a regal looking toga modified to be more suited to battle with various pieces of armoured steel littering her form, such as gauntlets on her arms and grieves on her legs, all over cast by the pure white cloth. Her presence spoke of her power and dominion while also showcasing her beauty and strife as someone who watches rather than someone who would recklessly throw themselves at danger head first.

After being replied to by Theia in the form of a small smile, Hyperion directed his attention to the arguing duo, comprised of Kronos and a woman known as Themis. She was the warrior, the one known to the world as the 'Judge' that test and fight against foes own morality and strife using a strange combination of Re-Quip magic and Observation magic in order to pick apart anybody fickle enough to challenge her to a fight. Out of everyone in the Titans, she was easily the most battle-hungry (after Kronos) but knew when to cease fighting in order to preserve life; she sought battle, not bloodlust. Much like her friend, she was adorned in armour that caused her brown hair to stand out heavily and allowed her piercing red eyes to be noticeable; a heavy set of plate armour coated in a thick silver coat covered her whole body with sharp knee and shoulder plates, while a thin white tunic inked by various amber tribal designs went over the top and covered her chest. This was a woman that, if the rest of the world knew about her, would be feared and respected by people all over for her strife and complexion when it came to different battle tactics.

Then came time to face the steadily darkening tones of music, with the notes being deathly and sickly to Hyperion's ears. Before him, on the opposite side of Themis, sat Kronos himself. The man was massive, a giant compared to everyone else in the group, and so even sat down towered over the normal sized woman before him. His armour reflected this, with a heavy black sheen to everything that pulsed and shook with heavy orange energy that crackled and struck at the armour itself, ingrained into it from prolonged usage of his magic. It was bulky too, with a helmet that dwarfed his actual head alongside two great horns that shot out from both sides, allowing a small slit where his eyes would be to spew and spit orange energy. His shoulders were the same, massive, sharp plates that cut the very sky with their existence and ate away at his flesh, the bulky armour continuing its assault on his body before it also began to be corroded by his magic further down. He appeared as some sort of twisted Grim Reaper whose own body couldn't contain his own power and, as a result, was destroying itself. This was Kronos… This was the form of death.

For a few moments, the Slayer stayed silent and simply observed their argument without a word, listening to the hard and stern voice of Themis lash against the deep and destructive tone of Kronos battle and clash against each other.

"You have repeated that argument several times, yet what is your plan? How will you triumph against foes you cannot perceive?"

"Themis, I will simply crush them beneath my feet. If that fails, my magic will kill them quick enough."

"And what if they are invulnerable to it? We have already heard that there may be one who is unable to be damaged completely by fire, so what if they are unable to be affected by yours?"

"My magic rules all."

"It does not over-power Emperor Spriggan."

Kronos growled before he began to sit up.

"Do you want me to overpower you, you wench- "

Deciding that he couldn't be arsed to sit through another attempt on a Titans life from their Leader, Hyperion decided to speak up.

"Kronos. You wanted to see me?"

Pausing in his stride, the Devourer continued to growl as the corrupting light poured and seeped out of his armour and mask. Then, with building anticipation, his plates shifted and coiled against each other as he turned to meet the man's gaze.

"Hyperion… Ah yes. I wanted to ask you something about your certainty on why Tartaros would come here."

Quirking an eyebrow at the man, the Fire user had to crawl through his memory to figure out what his leader was talking about. In fact, he was the one who proposed that they ask Zeref to evacuate Alverez for it to be their battlefield. After a long list of persuasion (involving quite a lot of talk about bloodlust and murder) Kronos bended and surrendered to his desires. Why he was asking now confused Hyperion though.

"Eh? Oh that. Uh, the city would be the first place that they would have to come and having them come chase us down to the forest would be an utter waste of time."

"I understand that, Hyperion, but how are you so certain that they will actually show up?"

This time it was Themis who responded. Once again, it took him a few seconds to repl. Turning his gaze to the shifting crowds and even further past that to the splitting ocean and even further past that to the splintered skyline and he could still feel it. He could feel the power digging and stabbing at his back, could feel the warmth lighting up his body with heat and a sense of destructive capability. This force was so strong that he could feel the overlying fury and hidden rage present in the power, present in the heat. This was him, for definite.

Giving the group a wide smile, Hyperion turned back with full confidence in his throat.

"I can sens- "

* * *

"-sense them."

Poised on the edge of the Plutogrim, Natsu sat perched and steadily growing more and more impatient. His skin was begging to heat up and his blood was beginning to boil, the fire spreading through his organs lighting up his entire system with an unstable sense of relief. He needed to fight soon and he could feel the un-cracked joints stabbing at his skin, the tendrils of fire trying to escape from their fleshy prison and the grinding that his teeth did unconsciously while his fidgeted. 2 years… 2 years he had waited to finally come across that white-haired prick again and get vengeance for all those people that died in that village and all those that had died at his hand since.

Hyperion was going to get what he promised.

"Uh, what do you mean by that Boss?"

Breaking out of his mind induced delusions, the pinkette turned back away from the edge, sighing with relief at the intensity of the wind as it smashed into his exposed skin, and faced his friends. Since coming up here about an hour ago, he had been waiting anxiously as the rest of the team got ready for battle, getting geared up and prepared for the biggest and most destructive fight of their lives.

Ezel was the one who had posed the question. Aside from becoming far stronger and mastering his skills at a quicker rate under Natsu's tutelage, the tentacled beast hadn't changed much, only changing out his outfit for a more streamlined black garment, hanging lightly over his tentacles that featured a light layer of padding to protect his synthetic flesh against damage.

"Oh, I dunno really… Maybe it's something that God Slayers can do, like how Dragon Slayers have enhanced senses, but I honestly don't know. What I do know Zel, is that there are a lot, and I mean a lot, of very strong signatures coming from Alverez. Which means…"

"There will be a lot of very strong people for us to battle against. Very well Master, we shall protect Tartaros' honour and complete our task at any cost."

Unable to contain his loyalty, Torafuzar spoke up before bowing his massive body towards the smaller man. Like Ezel, nothing much had been altered about the Fish-Man other than his physical and magical prowess. He had swapped out his fur-lined coat in favour of leaving his chest free to the elements, allowing his scales to be on full display to their foes, apart from the two criss-crossing patches of dark leather that were slapped over his torso. His loose pants and heavy boots persisted, and he was now better trained in using his momentum in turn with his speed in order to be a better attacker. His words, had ticked off Ezel though.

"Honour you say? How many time- "

"Shut it; we don't want another brawl right before a fight as important as this… Do we boys?"

The malicious sexiness that seemed to ooze out of every word Kyoka uttered spread through the air, corrupting it with her lust. However, it now held more power and dominance then ever, able to quickly tame and control the aggressive beasts of Tartaros. Much like before, she was speed and power incarnate with the deadly force of a beast and a bird all wrapped into one, buxom package. Now, though, her outfit seemed far more streamlined and better for any form of movement she did as it clung to her body and dug into her hardened flesh, her purple leotard having stayed put but now was outlined in black and her chin-guard and leg protectors also remained, but she had removed the cape off of herself. Now she was a quick and dangerous force of nature whose very body was used as some sort of weapon.

"No… Sorry Kyoka."

"I apologize profusely."

"Hehe, it's good to see that I could teach you guys some manners."

Hoping down from his perch, Natsu could tell how close they were to Alverez; in fact, they would be there in nothing short of a few minutes. Casting his eyes over the Guild, he took the time to admire his crew.

Franmalth and Tempester had nothing about their physical appearance changed, with the cyclops like monster and the beast-turned-man Etherious having to still get used to new alterations to their body. Their clothes also remained the same despite how strong and destructive their magic had become. Generally, Natsu had learned that these two Demons worked best together despite their clashing personalities, leading to quite a few intense training sessions between the Guild.

Next was Jackal, who was chatting with Ezel and Torafuzar. Just like the first encounter he had with the Guild, this trio had risen above his expectation and had managed to work together in unexpected and intense ways. It was a strange sort of friendship forged in the fires of conflict and disagreement… Like him and Gray in many ways.

Speaking of Fullbuster, there was Silver. Despite learning of the resurrected man's relation to his friend, he hadn't let that warp his view of the man as one of great power and magical prowess. In recent months, his armour had been reinstated and reinforced, a thick set of mobile plate armour stained silver adorned his body now, with the Tartaros mark in the same place as last time. It also held a black hood that would cover the majority of his head and the under-part of his body and under-armour was a dark black. Overall, Silver had just risen above anything and everything… Despite the loathing he had for the Demon race. Several times, he had tried to get the man to open up and explain his issues but it never worked. Hopefully, after this whole war fiasco, he would try once again and try to persuade him once more.

The General was speaking with Patchwork. Keyes hadn't changed at all, and had been granted a new staff in return for not having his appearance altered. His staff was now long and cane like, adorned in darkness and outlined in gold like his outfit while the top was winged and held a long line of shining rebellion and a shining orb of absolute decimation atop it. The Skeletal Etherious was someone Natsu had thought he would have a hard time with, the science and the biology behind his magic something that he wouldn't be able to wrap his head around, but he had many great conversations with the man, some that opened up his own eyes and some that opened up Keyes'.

Casting his eyes to the side, Natsu caught sight of Mard Geer commanding Plutogrim. Natsu had learned early on that he hadn't been granted the power of the King by Zeref and that had only been imposed onto Geer; not that he was saddened by it… Tartaros would end up in the sea if he was trying to pilot the creature. Like most people, the only semblance of change that Geer faced was from changing his coat to something much easier to manoeuvre in and something that wouldn't block his field of view much.

Then his eyes landed on the person he wanted to see again before his fight; Sayla. Ever since their conversation a while ago, he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her; her smile, her skin, her hair, her body, her eyes, all of it was consuming his mind and psyche all at once. It was so intense that the only way that he could avoid it was to think about Hyperion, which then forced him into a state of worry and panic that could only be calmed by thinking of Sayla… He was stuck in a vicious cycle that was absolutely crushing his soul. Not that he didn't like thinking about her… It just really distracted him.

Standing before him now, adorned in her new outfit, it was definitely very distracting. When Lamy had described it to him, she made it out to be some sort of Battle Kimono. The top portion was exactly like the kimono the Demoness of Tartaros was known for, with large bat-wing sleeves and a long tail-end that fell to the back of her knees with beautiful black and purple flower patterns. Her legs and arms underneath the cloth was coated in a skin-tight under suit that provided additional protection while not limiting her movement. No matter what she looked like though, Natsu would always be drawn to her.

Looking her body up and down, their eyes locked onto each other once again. Violet clashed romantically against onyx and the two could feel the passion breaking free from their bodies, the flash-floods of feelings that washed over both of their bodies adorned in new gear yet they felt completely weightless. Yet that was for another time. Ignoring the blush rising up his cheeks, the red particles infecting his face like a virus, Natsu gave her a curt nod and turned back to his position in front of his Guild.

Here he was… Alverez. The twisting towers of concrete shot up into the sky and broke through it with fists of steel. This city was truly magnificent and he could see how hard Zeref had worked on it… 400 years in isolation and this is what he had done with it? Not a bad waste of time if he was to be honest… Better then what his corpse was doing. Gritting his teeth as the powerful signals grew stronger and stronger, more and more forceful, a barrage of magical power that smashed and cracked his will and bones with their presence. This was the power of Alverez… The power Tartaros would conquer.

Twisting on his heel and facing towards his Guild, he gave a curt cough which silenced all conversations.

"Well, uh, Tartaros! We're here… Alverez… Shit, what was I going to say? Oh yea. When I came to this Guild, I was an outsider dressing up in the clothes and the title of the person you worship. I'm not worth your praise or your thanks 'cause I didn't do anything special; I just showed you guys who you always were. Not what Zeref made you to be, not his own personal set of tools, but you're all your own people with your own dreams and lives that you will live out as soon as we finish this fight. You're all amazing people that I am so glad I was able to meet so I have to say thank you for everything. Thank you for being here right now to help me fight my own battles. Thank you for helping me win this war."

Smirking wide at his team only to receive the same sort of grins back, he felt his body begin to rise in heat, smoke and fire sparking off of his back in snakes and curling into blood boiling circles of charcoal. This was adrenaline… This was strife…

This was the power of his fire.

Turning his back to the Guild and looking out at the chopping ocean, he finally saw the port of Alverez were 8 figures stood strong as silhouettes in the dead and abandoned town. Natsu could feel their power, feel their strife but only one mattered to him. Across the water, the Slayer could see the faint flickering of azure fire that he had only seen in Hellish nightmares or broken up, twisted dreams. Hyperion was here… And today was the day he was going to pay.

Facing them all once more, he gave them a broad smile.

"Don't die… Okay?"

Then he jumped.

Leaping down as he let the world absorbed and flew past him, blurring and colliding with his face in a storm of wind and razors that only seemed to enlighten and break apart any doubt he had in his heart. This was it and it was happening now. Bathing his entire form in a coat of crimson fire, he let the tendrils and ropes of fire wrap around his arms and his legs, sparking and shooting out of his mouth and onto the oceans face. Smoke and steam rose up to his form until he collided with the water, spray and foam shooting up around him in a spiral of white; for a few seconds, he stood stationary on the waves, bobbing and weaving from the fire at his feet keeping him afloat.

Glancing up, Natsu's eyes met Hyperion's, azure met scarlet, rebellion met the shackled. 2 years since they had last met and this was there moment. Standing up at full height, the Slayers completely ignored the others around them in favour of slowly walking towards each other, also completely ignoring the fact that they were stood atop the ocean itself.

First it was a slow walk accompanied by a glare and a scowl from both parties.

"Natsu… Long-time no see."

Then it was a moderate jog that sent steam and fire colliding with every inch of water that sat below them.

"I guess it has Hyperion…"

Finally, the two set off into full on sprints, cutting across the waves like razor blades fuelled by heat and fire, their bodies superheating the very world they lived in, destroying the oxygen they came across with massive explosions of blue and red. It was like two supernovas charging up to detonate at the same time. Beautiful… And fucking terrifying.

Both reared back their fists and let the flames consume them, devour them and transform them into beasts of war, beasts of fire, beasts of death that would not stop until one of them fell. Closer and closer they got until they were finally within striking distance, with tendrils snatching and snapping at each other, and they let out cries of battle and war that ripped out from their throats.

"NATSU!"

"HYPERION!"

When the two collided, the explosion caused sent ripples shooting throughout the ocean for miles, skipping and slicing fire through the entire drought of waves, smashing and destroying all of the life it came across. It was as though the water itself was turned to ash while azure and crimson fire danced and embraced each other. This was utter decimation and utter devastation… And it was just the start.

The war in Alverez had begun.

* * *

 **And done! Thank you all so much for the support and the care given towards this story, I really don't deserve it but believe me when I say that I do not and never will take it for granted. Next chapter, the fights truly begin with brutality and war raging out from all sides as Zeref and his group watches on at how much everyone has grown.**

 **Once again, thank you... So much. And goodbye!**

 **-Jack**


	20. Chapter 20

**So... how's everyone been?**

 **Hello everyone and welcome back, fucking finally, to the 20th chapter of the All Devouring Slayer's Flame.**

 **So, its basically been... um... how long? Ah... 7 months right? Yea... so... I'M REALLY REALLY SORRY!**

 **There are many reasons why I haven't updated any of my stories in so long, but even with that knowledge I know I shouldn't have been gone for this amount of time, so for that I can only profusely apologise to every single one of you who have been waiting so long for this chapter. And even worse is that it's so short, I tried to make it longer but the cutting off point in this chapter was just too perfect for me to try and squeeze anymore into it. HOWEVER! That being said, with the introduction of these shorter chapters, I plan on going back to my sorta old schedule, where I upload more frequently so look forward to that I guess? But yeah, I'm really sorry for making you wait so long.**

 **Basically, it's one big crappy puddle of a massive case of writer's block, getting adjusted to college and being overworked from college's workload, practising for my exams which are coming up really soon, a whole lot of trouble and hard times and stuff and then plus a strange money situation, my equipment absolutely dying on me and then deciding it wants to delete a whole bunch of stuff and then I have problems with jobs and money and work and... uh, its basically just one big problem that has snowballed into an even bigger snowball, which has then come and crushed me. So yea, sorry for being away again.**

 **Second thing... um... I started a (Patr eon)... okay don't shoot me. Basically, as I said, money is hard to come-by in college and as a result, I have nothing to buy new equipment or anything new that would help me with fanfiction writing or even school stuff (I literally have a non-functioning laptop and my phone keeps deleting stuff so... yaaaay) and so, in order to help me along with that I have starte (Patr eon). Before you ask, I am not walling any fanfic stuff off nor am stopping my writing on these fanfics: essentially, nothing about my fanfics is changing. I just wanted to say it here because, well, this is my primary audience and I felt the need to tell you this. I know that some of you may be saying that this is madness, that I'm just being greedy or am trying to make money from someone else hard work and they're all valid responses so I will explain what I am actually doing with my thingy- I am offering writing tips and commissions and information about my own personal future work and 1-to-1 writing advice. Basically, I'm offering help and personally written stories for people who donate to me, and nothing is being walled off from this site. Its completely its own thing. It just helps me get some sort of income for what I do I guess and may even mean I can fully focus on fanfiction and writing for the rest of the year: I truly want to be a published writer so anything helps, and is the first step to this. I completely understand if any of you don't like this idea, or do not donate or whatever, its completely understandable, however if any of you are thinking of donating then truly, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'll leave a link here and mention it every few chapters but that is all I will speak of it. Once again, thank you.**

 **If you want to donate you can follow the link in my bio within my profile directly to my (Patr eon) or just type in Aniimeziing in the search bar and it'll come up on their site. Again, it is not mandatory but anyone who does donate - just a massive thank you.**

 **And next on the agenda, thanking you all for 1100 favourites and follows. I'm so happy that I can entertain and please and make a bunch of you happy with my work, it is all I ever want to do so I thank you for all the support and kind reviews I got asking if I was updating - truly, thank you for all the care you give me.**

 **Aaaaaaaand now, reviews!**

 **JOK3R Of Monday: Hehe yuuuup! A deadly and dangerous Demon Guild! But yeah this city is truly gonna be rocked and probably turned to rubble by the end of this conquest so I agree, shit is about to go down!**

 **MidnightScar17: Hmmm I'm contemplating it my friend.**

 **Duskrider: Why thank you... those were not the words I imagined saying to the phrase 'Nice start to the war'... eh, thank you anyway, consequences be damned!**

 **TheLaughingOhMyDaysIveMissedYouAndYourAmazingNameSoMuch: Hehe no worries my guy! And this chapter is only the very start of the conflict and the war, with many more battles and fights left to go. And yea, saying you can enjoy war sounds a lil' bit weird... but hey ho, who cares about weird here? Not me!**

 **NarutoXAsuna25: Thank you! As for the Mavis thing, I'm thinking about it. At the moment, it's a maybe - imma see how I shape up the dynamic of the other members before throwing another one in but it is a definite possibility.**

 **Jack Wick: Thanks for agreeing, helps me maintain my sanity.**

 **MCRasengan: And fire there will be indeed MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!**

 **Chimera629: Hm yeah thats what I thought it was gonna be when I started to be honest but nope, it really fucking snowballed. And yeah, the ocean was just a really cool place in my opinion for two fire bois to go at it.**

 **NinjaFang1331: Thank you!**

 **Te Nellis: Ah I'm sure they're fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine. Probably taken out a few Dragon level threats here or there... wait, shit wrong series.**

 **AngryHenry: Sorry I kept you waiting so long man, I hope you enjoy it.**

 **DoomMarine54: Yes... Yeeeeeeeeeeeeees...**

 **TreeOfSakuras: Damn you're persistent...**

 **Tohka123: Hehe thank you!**

 **EtheriousLogia: Thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaank yoooooooooooooooooooooou! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Eradicator: Indeed, the feels are very strong with these ones.**

 **DragonFox123: Why thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it.**

 **Guest: Wow, amazing? That's very high esteem so thank you!**

 **Yttam500: Hehe thank you! I'm considering it as I said.**

 **Ash0011: Hm I don't think so, he used it a little bit during his fight against Zancrow but right after it nothing happened and he never used it again - the reason he's able to use it here is cause of his END heritage and abilitie** **s.**

 **Guest: Yup! This story has been alive for 1 year... well over a year... damn...**

 **Guest: Yea I was gonna try and do a 1 year chapter but my writer's block just properly fucked me up.**

 **CandyLuv99: Oh damn... um... I made you cry? Wow... thank you for the compliment, seriously, emotion was the main thing I was trying to imbue in that chapter so truly, thank you.**

 **EmiyANaruto: Why thank you! Tempting, tempting...**

 **Juubinaru: Here ya go, sorry for the wait!**

 **ThomasPheasant: Soon is now! Only... 7 months late.**

 **RobTheKiwi21: Yea... Kinda got lost in the plot for 20 chapters with its own stuff, however I didn't just wanna throw Natsu in and have him be super OP without any gain. I doubt that'd be satisfying for me as a writer or you lot as readers so I wanted to make sure I developed Natsu's character and the lore I crafted for this story into said story without compromising for time, which I sorta slipped but I hope that this chapter will make up for it. We will be getting back to the main plot soon though my friend!**

 **SlackBoy101: Yea I can see it, Hyperion as a tyrannical, charming,suave, manipulative dictator with a fake face? I can definitely see it... But seriously, Borderlands 2 is so fucking good. Eh, Lucy is... eh. Even with all the stuff Mashima's been drawing, I still just feel... eh about her whole character.**

 **Jane Cahill 18: I will not stop! It may take some time but I will always come back! You're English is great by the way so don't worry - its probably better then mine at some point.**

 **PrincenJGV: Update coming up!**

 **Ikusatsugani: Hm I dunno, its debatable.**

 **MrKristoffer1994: Well I'm very glad you're hyped, hope I don't disappoint.**

 **Guest: Yup, Adrenaline is still a thing, should be the next thing I update so look out for that very soon. Sorry for the wait!**

 **Tsun: Yea... I uh, kinda forgot about that. Completely my own fault, lapse of judgement, have to own up to that. And thank you!**

 **Guest: Its a third of the way through 2018... um... happy new year?**

 **Drakoa: Well damn, thank you, for both compliments!**

 **ShutInLoser: I can totally empathise with your name. Damn, thats a lot of readin so thank you. Yea updating usually takes a while cuz of college and stuff, however it will be updated. And mayyyyyyyyyyybe... just maybe.**

 **Spartan of Rome: Your wish is my command!**

 **Crow and Butterfly: Nope, still alive and kickin'!**

 **The Storm Master 567: He will, he will. And the cliff hanger's the best part!**

 **Kynan99: No thank you man.**

 **Crimson Nitrox: Update is ahppened... ahappening? Ahappendo? Its here, okay.**

 **And now... onto the actual chapter.**

 **Thank you all for sticking by the story in its long break and its my utmost pleasure to introduce, Slayer's Flame chapter 20!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Skin split, blood boiling – an ocean of singeing skyline.

Suffocated by ash and by steam, choked by soot and smoke, the churning sea of Alverez smashed sloppily against itself as waves doubled over, lost wandering aimlessly in their self-destruction, boxed in against cages of fire. It was all consuming, all devouring and all domineering, able to scrape away any form of beauty and rebellion away in the sparks of twisting flames, red and blue beds of never ceasing fuel set alight atop a constant strip of cool water. However, in its own paradoxical way, these sheltered heaps of blazing soul acted both upon the will of their caster, of their indomitable masters, yet also independent, striking down and striking out against the abyss that encapsulated it; in its own way, the ignorance and trapped ideology of survival was the most gorgeous and spectacular sight of all. Everything about the chaotic reform was tragic and bestial. Everything about the cyclic genocide of the cool ocean water was sadistic and trivial. Everything about the drowning of reason in a world of barren sky was primordial and twisted.

Everything about the fire was pure.

Radiant patches of cracking sky shivered and shook in delight at the new world that lay at its feet. Heat and the sinister brands of blistered water manipulated and transformed the once peaceful and virtuous bay, bending the very detrimental philosophy of survival instincts to its will, taking the shape of nature into its own incorporeal, explosive hands – long bony fingers of scorched corruption clawed and stabbed themselves into the sockets and fractures of this concussive symmetry, as heated palms of bloody sweat rolled down and fell lifeless into the contorted shape of water below. In the incomprehensible totalitarianism of the fires watchful eyes, everything else trips up, falls to the trials and insignificance of life that even a God couldn't extinguish these flickers of preservation. Uncontrollable, sickening twists of sky that speared and shook the worlds core all for the sake of stocking these flames of survival, and it trapped the skyline into a perpetual state of innocence and scarring. Breaking, battering, beating. All of it required to wrap this naive society to a more dominate view.

Debris and dust seemed to be suspended in stasis, caught in a chokehold by the fire. The delightfully empty smell of ash wafted through the air, stained by the presence of burning salt. It crawled and burrowed it's way into the roots, implanting its own scent above that of the original creator – it was like a parasite, brutally digging and scooping out the flesh and mind of what once was in favour of taking over the host anew, with a pungent spike of warmth settling into the empty shell that now was the sea.

It was quiet too, or as close to quiet as could be reachable by the constant crackling of carnivorous fire, carnage brewing in Alverez's veins. The slight sloshing of bleeding waves drew attention to the futility of what was occurring, accompanied by the brass conducted cut of Heaven's arena, of stroking palpitations that gulped down every speck of air that came close to its maw – fracturing the bones of the sky in its sharpened jaws, the crunching of peaceful reunion dying short in judgements gaze as the subtle gasps and wails of this decaying sentimentality of shackled seas as its skin and sinew was ripped into. Burnt. Scorched. Brutalised. The pounding of silence was never enough on the battlefield and people always wanted to bargain life for sound - whether that was human life or not was a matter of the deck drawn and the cards dealt.

Alverez was just unlucky in its hand out.

Suddenly, from each corner of the pinned ashen blanket, the scene was split by aptitude and vengeance. Clouds of decimation shot up into the air, encapsulating and revealing the dented sapphire ocean below as two figures of blurred intention sped forward on a collision course. Behind them, trails of scarlet and azure fluttered, wings and cloaks and armours of pure flame shrouded them, intensity spewing over the horizon's brim like a storm. They were both dashing along a needles edge, collapsing in and around the explosion of dust and ash, cutting through it with the precision of a pair of surgeons – highly trained, dominant, and in control of each others lives.

As they both neared impact, sparks of red gave way to a messy batch of pink hair, of tan skin, of onyx eyes, all of them shining bright with the crimson sparkle of an ethereal beast. On the opposition, blue separated and split around the gliding form of white hair, sizzling like snow on a mountain side against paler skin and paler ambitions, the scars and etchings that ate away at his skin crawling up across his crazed form. They were both lost in their drive, lost in their madness, lost in their lust for combat, lost to the thrill of fighting. Both parties had become so absorbed in each others light that they didn't have the chance to let their darkness catch up, that they had both been in manacles so long that this brief opportunity of rebellion drove them to victory, to brutality and to aggression.

This was the true way Natsu and Hyperion lived – by no creed, by no law, by no reason except freedom.

Spitting in the face of fatigue, Natsu allowed his reared arm to be consumed in scarlet, flaring up in a dark facade of danger. Opposite him, Hyperion's own limbs became coated in a thick sheet of azure fire, licking and sucking at his shattered skin and burning bones. Then, battle cries, roars of defiance and shouts of victory reigned free across the land – spouts of water danced around, cinder patches of pre-established rule were snuffed out, the impending shreds of fabric and blood were sent flying by the sheer extremity detected in their voices. Yelling as their lungs felt like collapsing, the two continued their stride and strife, barrelling towards each other with masks of pure killing intent.

The two creatures danced and flirted with deception and chaos, running head-long at each other over spinning crystal waters.

Panic – eliminated.

Doubt – annihilated.

Rage – absolute.

Finally, each shot found its target and the two Slayers found each other close. Unleashing one last roar, each fighter halted. Then, they both struck, leaping at one another and smashed their fists together; bone against bone, flesh against flesh, flames against flame.

The impact was monstrous, tearing apart the very space between the men with warmth, heat that threatened to rip off the fragility of existence that existed within the shore. Fire brushed past them, spitting and catching each fighter by their loose forms in a savage display of desolation. Both Slayer's felt their fists mash together, skimming and stuttering against one another as their tendrils of flame lapped at the other's essence; pain and torment all were sucked into a whirlpool of desire, the debris nipping at the two combatants as they continued to fight in the eye of the storm.

Eventually, each gave out. Letting themselves be moved by exhaustion, both Natsu and Hyperion were shot back through the all consuming clouds of fading flares. For a few seconds, the pink haired man saw his foe gallantly spring backwards and plunge further into the murk that surrounded them before he lost track of the white haired beast. For a few more minutes, the Slayer felt his body become almost weightless, the welts and cuts sustained in his brawl beginning to overtake his adrenaline drained form. For a short few decades, Natsu felt his body smash and dash itself away on the churning waves, his form skipping across the ocean like a stone – 1 bounce, 2 bounce, 3 bounce...

Then nothing.

After that, all Natsu could see was ocean; up, down, left, right, all of it a sphere of sunken doubt and confusion, bodies of wood and splintered rock joining him in his descent. Once again, he became overtaken by a relief that lifted all sorrow and strata from his shoulders – however even Natsu knew that the fairness was limited, time edging forever closer as he drifted, which in itself was a leaking bout of depression.

Wafting his smoking hands through the smothered water, Natsu pulled a hand before his face. Then he watched in a morbid fascination as it lit up into a scarlet barrage collapsing around his skin – bubbles boiled and popped around him, exploding like bombs into a puff of drowned smoke.

Buried under the current, he allowed himself a quick chuckle, watching with a distanced gaze at the rising pockets of air that shot out of his open maw. To some, lighting a match underwater was futility to its greatest effect, a fate shackled to fire through power of the elements where the entire concept with blissful ignorance.

However, the only barrier between Natsu and his target now was this futility. So he would just have to break it down.

Gritting his teeth and clawing the tender skin on his arm, the Slayer let out a low growl. Suddenly, his skin began to burst and burn, a sinister red glow overtaking him as he sank deeper into the pit of the ocean. Streams of smoke cascaded off the man, as the very water around him morphed and shifted to a red hue – it was as if God had reigned down blood upon the oceans, corrupting their purity with the tactless destruction bought about from bloodshed. Then, with fuel and fire as his motivation, the Slayer finally unleashed a mighty roar that even the crushing depths of the ocean could not contain and dashed around in a haze of crimson towards the surface.

So focused on his fight that he ignored the cataclysmic grip that death had around his lungs, the sun starved pressure bearing down on his flesh, the pounding drones of his air starved brain... the enjoyment and the flurry of each and every cell of his being alighting in pleasure and euphoria.

Nearing the light of the horizon, Natsu burst forth, shattering the line that stood on the tip of the world. It was as if he was a supernova: a vast explosion of anger and devastation that sought damage and panic as a toll for the magnificent beauty it held, tearing the serenity of an oceanic skyline to shreds with cosmic ruin.

Breaking through, the Slayer tumbled and tossed against the bed of the earth, wetting his tanned skin as he rolled forth before finally regaining his balance in a blistering step of defiance. Opposing him, stood the shaky, battle-worn suit of armour that was Hyperion, strings and puppetry dragging along his form.

For a few narrow seconds, all was silent naught for the sizzling of the water.

Dragging his eyes to meet those of his opponent, Natsu offered a battered grin – one of which, completely conflicted the war that bred in his eyes. Hyperion followed his gaze and mimicked his facade.

"You know... when I met you , I didn't think much of you..."

The Devil Slayer's voice leaked out, pouring his bloody words into the churning pool below him. Natsu spat back, offering his own crimson to the ritual.

"Oh yea? Well what do you think of me now?"

The ocean was quiet for a time.

"I think you're going to kill me."

Whatever harrowed words crawled out from Hyperion's throat left Natsu quirking his head.

"What?"

"I said I think that this fight, that you, are going to kill me; did I bash your head in too much to understand me?"

A shrill laugh.

"I don't exactly know what you want with Alverez, Natsu, or any of the people in it but I do know one thing – the thought of you finally snuffing me out brings you great joy, i-it's almost as if you'll be taking the weight that rests on your shoulders and chucking it into the ocean. That's what ending me would do, wouldn't it oh Great Salamander?"

Sucking on his teeth, the sharp spikes of cartilage striking the soft flesh of his gum, Natsu couldn't find himself reason to formulate a response. Everything Hyperion said was true; ending the reign of the Devil Slayer would result in a collected victory for Natsu's uprising, that it means he would not have to endure the defeat and damage he was dealt so long ago. Even as he thought of it, the Slayer could feel his fire crawl and claw its way through his veins, turning the panic or hesitation that lay within him to an ashy cloud of retaliation, a deep and sinful desire to inflict pain and reap death from his foe. That was how Natsu's brain ticked, cogs and gears melting into puddles of heated gold the more Hyperion spoke.

However even as he thought about killing the cold flame of Hyperion, the once proud Dragon Slayer felt the tight restraints of compassion constrict around his heart. He had vowed to kill Hyperion, to end his torment and his role as executioner to the people of Earthland but even now, as he stood wreathed in the flames of war, Natsu still did not know the truth; in fact this fight, this battle, this series of calculated and ruthless attacks was all in search of that truth, all in search of a reason why Zeref did what he did and why Hyperion did what he did in turn. Right now Natsu knew nothing, he knew about a given order to a man of extreme danger and power, of a village set alight in a vast cloud of fire and a vengeance that lurked deep within himself. Now... he knew nothing.

His brain longed for revenge and punishment, while his heart knew that it lacked the conviction to kill.

War and battle had truly changed him, but his heart had not changed in that time.

Alongside that, Natsu still had not achieved his main goal of taking the Devil Slaying Flames for himself for that is only a goal he could achieve by emptying his magic limit first – and he still had mountains of magic left to fight. Slowly he realised that he would need to erode his limiter, melt it down until he reached a stalemate in his magic where he could then steal the powers necessary to bring him further into absolution. For that he needed to fight forward.

Finally, after bathing in the sea of flame for some time, Natsu spoke.

"You're right Hyperion, you're nothing but dead weight to me, you hear? You're just a stupid fucking white haired road block to my brother. I even made a promise to kill you and I'll let you know that I never break my promise."

Natsu expected a laugh or a chuckle but instead got silence. Glancing up towards his opponent, he caught the man staring at him, his emerald eyes baring right into the Slayer's being with a peerless stare. He was waiting for a continuation.

"But the only problem with that is I'm enjoying this fight too much."

Cracking his knuckle, a feral grin dashed across Natsu's face as a cloak of fire descended around his stagnant form. Opposing him, a laboured laugh finally managed to break out from Hyperion's throat.

"God, you really will be the death of me... one way or another! "

Ending his statement with a shout, an explosion of blue shot out in rapid bursts, completely engulfing his scared right side in fire. To Natsu, it was almost as if the flames were alive, a grand face of scattered blue that jest and taunted him, beckoning him towards the oncoming encounter.

It was a challenge that he was perfectly willing to accept.

Smirking with palpable euphoria, Natsu pushed himself off of the water, steam and soot rising around his quickening form like a cloak morphed from shadow as he step and jumped over the sheet of water. Hyperion, meanwhile, adopted the same manic expression while retaining a cemented stance on the waves, body poised to deflect any attack that came toward him. Two sets of eyes set atop one another, glaring and overflowing with colour as the two neared each other and the vicious roar of Dragon and Demon rang throughout the world as the two finally neared each other – the sheer intensity tore through the skies and shook the sea around them.

Ducking below a quick jab from Hyperion, Natsu danced underneath his foe until he reached the prime position. Leaping forward, he took the white haired mans arm in his grasp and threw it down to meet his knee, the crunch of bone and the smell of sizzled flesh escaping into the air alongside Hyperion's gasp. Then, a deathly tight grip still on his opponents arm, Natsu spun him around and threw the man, before dashing forward and slamming his fire induced foot into Hyperion's stomach, sending him reeling backwards into the water. Cracking his back, Natsu clicked his tongue as he began to move towards his fallen opponent when he felt a flash of heat disperse around his feet yet it was too late as the proud shout of Hyperion collided with the sheer force of his fist as it smashed into the Slayer's.

" **Fire Devil's Ensnaring Fist!"**

Bone mashed against flesh, burning and contorting the hardened skin there as Natsu was sent spiralling into the air, spinning over himself multiple times as he flew. Black smoke and crimson ash wavered through the sky, only stopping in its moment of weakness when he recovered to turn back, just in time to block an incoming kick from Hyperion. His flesh stung, the strength from his body sapped by psychedelic fade of azure flames that clashed and fought against his crimson but Natsu pushed on. Propelling his kick back down, the Slayers separated briefly before Natsu rushed back in, catching the prone Hyperion off guard.

" **Draconic Fire God's Frenzied Fist!"**

Lunging underneath Hyperion's prone body, Natsu crashed his fire chocked fist directly into his opponents back, brutalising his azure smothered form in crimson bullets that further juggled him further and further up towards the sky like a weakened phoenix. Waiting for the man to spin to face him, Natsu collected all the fire from within his being, shards of scarlet fire collecting inside his lungs before he unleashed a colossal explosion of damage.

" **Draconic Fire God's Bellowing Roar!"**

Blasting out of Natsu's mouth, a spew of darkened red fire ate and devoured all of the sky that sat within Heaven's reach, consumed each sapling of water that rose to meet their maker, birthed plumes and strands of obsidian smoke that clouded and swallowed the righteous path. It was monstrous, an utter beast of conquest that morphed between the ultimate ethereal form and the mighty scales of a king.

As the corporeal monstrosity flew towards its foe with malicious fury, a sharp ping sounded through the air as another spew of flames collided with Natsu's own.

" **Fire Devil's Rage!"**

Azure spat at crimson, biting and clawing at each other for dominance within the air as heat shattered and scarred the sky. The sea boiled, spray and sinew spilling atop the two fighters as they fought; both unrelenting, both chaotic, both bloodthirsty.

Suddenly, Hyperion's fury bubbled down, losing its ferocity at such a speed where Natsu couldn't balance out his attack. Like a Demon, the Slayer tore through the scarlet flames, allowing them to burn and bathe his battle damaged body in blistering valour, before leaping headlong at his opponent, his body painted by circles and swirls of fire while great horns of flame protruded deep from his skull as he charged.

" **Fire Devil's 9** **th** **Circle Kamikaze!"**

Releasing his fiery roar, Natsu growled as he flipped away, attempting to correct his faults at the last second. However he was too late. Rushing forward, Hyperion caught the Slayer's leg as he dashed away. With a triumphant shout, he threw himself forwards, taking a hold of Natsu's shin before pounding his drained body into water below. As he flew down, Natsu felt the tendrils and claws of fire begin to trail up his body, ripping and burrowing into his flesh as tiny flares and explosions of fire shot off throughout his form until he finally collided with the ocean, a massive burst of azure fire overtook his entire being and accompanied him as he sank down below.

Once again Natsu felt the cool ocean sheet overtake him, strangle his lungs and brain and heart and play games with the blood in his veins while it filtered in and out of his body. He coughed and spluttered, water seeping through his skin as he tried to breathe but Hyperion had smashed him into a daze he could not escape from. Pausing to compose his starved psyche, Natsu's eyes narrowed to a knife edge, flashing crimson as he set his entire from alight with a muffled, smothered yell.

" **Draconic Fire God's Outbreak Blade!"**

Spitting a glob of darker red into the sunken world that lay around him, Natsu swing his leg round, unexpectedly breaking Hyperion's hold. Then, he seized the opportunity to once again claw at Hyperion's wrist and drag him under the waves to join him in his deprived kingdom. Finally, as his body bolted through the watery barrier, Natsu struck, his fiery vigil streaking through the ocean in a fluid and brutal movement that ripped into Hyperion's chest with agonising precision. With his breath stolen and gifted to the ocean as a parting present, the Devil Slayer soared through the blue layer, force propelling him back until his steaming body twirled and broke past the liquid prison – his form only pausing to fall in a floating heap on the cell bars as he collapsed to the ocean's mask.

Sneaking through the breach made by Hyperion, Natsu wasted no time in retrieving air or breath. Instead, he flung himself forward, skipping over the water until he reached his downed foe, a rich ring of blood marring his broken body. Ruthlessly, Natsu slashed at Hyperion's prone body with his foot, catching his and jostling him higher into the air with a roar of exertion. Hyperion made no such noise. Instead, he gestured his hand before his flying body and a web of flames shot of to catch Natsu behind his head.

" **Fire Devil's Hellish Grasp!"**

Continuing his flight, a harsh tug on his coated arm pulled Natsu up to meet his. Raising his knee up, Hyperion smashed his knee brutally into Natsu's nose with a loud and hollow crunch sounding out through the skyline. Ignoring the Fire Slayer's grunt of pain, Hyperion let his adrenaline carry him as he then rose his conjoined hands above Natsu's back and struck down viciously, with another crack joining the worlds orchestra of pain. With this, the fallen warrior fell to the earth, bouncing on the water's edge with the sick satisfying crumble of bone soon following the impact.

However Natsu was not helpless, not even in his broken and battered state.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hyperion fall to the water, steam drifting up around his limping and shaky body. Then, he began a laggy and slowed sprint towards Natsu, the blue flare that coated him flickering and fazing as he moved. Biting his gumsa until he felt blood fill his mouth, Natsu then moved.

Twirling mid-air to balance the bounce he undertook from the previous attack, he landed just before Hyperion's foot and threw he skull back at the man's head. A similar, grotesque crack seeped out into the air and Natsu felt wet on his hair -from a small glance at the roaring, turbulent waves, he could see how beat up and battered he truly was, with numerous burns and cuts and welts guarding his flesh and blood matted and stuck to his hair. Pushing his appearance to the back of his mind, Natsu continued his assault. Not pausing in his movements, his relentless abuse did not cease until he felt Hyperion stumble away from him, the hiss and sizzle of the water weakening. Crouching down, Natsu engulfed his leg in fire and screamed as he swung it to meet his opponents own.

" **Draconic Fire God's Winged Scythe!"**

Colliding with the bone and flesh that lay in it's path, the fiery blade of destruction tore across Hyperion's body, leaving his legs beaten and bloody until he couldn't stand. He tripped, forwards, face heading straight towards Natsu's fist that rocketed up to smash him in the jaw and send him flying once again.

Fatigue suddenly overtook both parties, drained of stamina and energy each and every fibre of their beings screamed and raged in agony of movement yet they kept on, pushing their bodies to finish this fight.

Shouting in anger, Hyperion overtook the air, consuming it in an explosion of blue flames that kept him stationary in a swarm of azure and smoke. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he smirked.

"God fucking dammit Dragneel *pant* this is the best fucking fight I've had in a *pant* long damn time."

Stumbling to his feet again, Natsu returned his grin with a deranged and manic smile.

"Yea, same here you white haired bastard."

A final look of utter elation passed between the two, a lust for combat melting and dancing between the two as the small flares of their conquest began to grow into great expanses of fire, as if the two were the great beasts they sought a slay – a magnificent, Godly dragon of crimson sparks, standing proud and omnipotent over the crystal ocean while an azure Demon stood in opposition, ruthlessness and a sinful desire for blood radiating off its drifting body. Their light could be seen for miles, trapping and encapsulating all those who were to gaze upon it in their beauty and totality, the very essence of battle and war sinking through their fuel and burning bright to challenge any man or deity.

This battle had truly, only just begun.

Summoning a great ounce of fire from the majestic creation that cloaked them, each combatant rose in destruction and desolation, a powerful attack being engineered between their fingers. From Hyperion, massive claws of flame drifted around his arms, a sheer coat of armament darkening the blue until it was almost black in colour – meanwhile, the size continued to grow, with tendrils and pieces of fire becoming imbedded into his flesh and the claws grew to a colossal size. Then, between them, a sphere of fire began to build, growing ever more in shape and size until it would eventually be gargantuan and monstrous.

On the other side of the water, Natsu also felt himself cloaked in fire. Around his throat, he felt a tight constriction that warmed up his flesh, searing it in a thick plume of smoke and ash while a crimson allotment of fire subdued his face and chest. Inside his head, he knew that he could be taking this time to heal... but this chaotic outcome was too much entertainment. He was elated, joyous and arrogant – he was angry, disturbed and wrathful. He was so many things he couldn't keep track, only push forward so he could feel more of it. Finally, he felt the ash coat his mouth as a massive ball of fire began to emerge between his deadly jaws.

Glancing up at Hyperion, he noticed a similar look adorning his face as he felt was on his own; a look of pride and glory. Narrowing his eyes, Natsy threw his head back and continued to watch as the ball grew in damage and power. It licked and spat on the water, steam and smoke wafting through the air on both sides until the battlefield was marred by a thick black fog with only the pulsing lights of fire shooting through the haze.

Eventually both attacks were primed and ready and after one last exchanged glance, the two roared in absolution as the threw their whole bodies forward and their beams were unleashed upon the world at large.

" **Draconic God's Secret Art, Ashbringer's Fall: Arid Desolation!"**

" **Fire Devil's Secret Art, Ifrit's Culling: Limbo Bomb!"**

The dual attacks shot out like missiles, nothing in their paths stopping or ceasing their movements. Each beam was the primal conclusion of their creed: death, destruction, beauty, majesty, greed, lust, agony... each and every emotion of domination and subjugation brewed in the sky and sea and earth with the totalitarian approach of Hell and Heaven.

Then finally, the two clashed.

An apocalyptic crash was left in their wake.

Dust, debris and ash sped around as if inside a torpedo, whipping and destroying the fluid buildings and streets if water that rocked and shook in the path of devastation – it was ultimate damage and ultimate chaos. The sky and the ocean simultaneously were smothered and chocked, drowned by the pressure of the blast and the ancient ruin of deceit that emerged from within the explosion. It was beautiful chaos, but chaos all the same: like destruction masquerading as creation, tearing up each piece of mortality as it moved and shook.

Then, after what felt like an eternity cased in soot and smoke, two bursts of fire shot out amongst the collapse.

Stood, unmoved and unshaken, Hyperion and Natsu still remained standing. Their skin was caked in ash and soot, scratches and cuts oozing blood down their forms as faint trails of heats seeped out into the air from their heated bodies – yet they still were unmoved. Even their eyes remained fixed, glaring and baring their onyx and emerald orbs in an intense collision that bred contempt and aggression.

Then they smirked.

Pushing his fist before him, Natsu's grin grew, pushing aside any blood or pain that crossed his path before engulfing his flesh in a cloak if dense red fire.

"You're tank running on empty, Hyperion? 'Cause I'm still raring to go."

Across from him, Hyperion challenged his grin and set alight his body in a blazing gradient of blue.

"Oh yea Dragneel, I've got plenty left to kick your ass."

"Good. But you've got it backwards – I'm going to kick your ass!"

* * *

 **And done! I truly hope you enjoyed that, I've spent a lot of time on it in the last few weeks. I know it's short and I apologise for that, but I will be able to upload more as a result and I do hope you enjoyed the fight. Next time, we look at the fights of the other Tartaros members as Natsu and Hyperion tear up more of the city of Alverez and the Spriggans watch on, intent on seeing this fight to its closing.**

 **Once again I apologise for my long absence and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you so wish, check out on (Patr eon) but you do not have to do anything. Now thank you for everything and I will see you lot next time!**

 **Bye bye!**

 **-Jack**


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